


Beyond Frozen Souls

by kibawriter



Category: Beyond: Two Souls, Frozen (2013)
Genre: Crossover, F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-11-13
Updated: 2015-03-14
Packaged: 2018-02-25 04:35:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 54,752
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2608661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kibawriter/pseuds/kibawriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Anna Dale is a young woman who possesses supernatural powers of ice and snow through her mysterious link to a mysterious invisible entity, known to her as Elsa. Together they face off against conspiracy, other entities and plots against the world as a whole. This Story will follow the basic plot of BEYOND: Two Souls, with many a creative liberty taken to make it its own tale.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

I’m floating in endless darkness. Nothing makes sense, and yet at the same time, everything makes sense. Does that make sense? No I don’t suppose that it does make sense, but really in this world does anything make sense? I’m rambling now. A silly thought, rambling to the endless, empty, cold darkness.

I feel it, the cold that is. It is such a strange feeling, being cold I mean. It’s strange because I’ve never really felt cold, or maybe I have and it’s just never bothered me. Anyway I’m sure it doesn’t matter now, but with this darkness pressing in around me, threatening to drown me.

Or maybe it’s threating to freeze me. My heart feels heavy, and I think the cold is spreading from there, slowly washing over me in waves that steadily grow colder and colder. I think there is frost on my nose.

It tickles and I want to sneeze but I can’t, maybe body won’t let me.

My mind is growing hazy and I can feel things slipping away, fading into the freezing blackness and I feel lost and alone. My memories are shattered and they are slipping away from me.

I try to grab them because they’re all that I have left. I can’t lose them too. Not now.

I’m holding them now, my whole life in the palm of my hand.

My memories, small, fragile fractals of crystalized ice. Snowflake. Little snowflakes that I never want to melt.

I want them to stay, because I know that if they stay, then I can stay being myself, so I have to remember. The bad with the good, see them all again, the good with the bad.

They’re all mixed up in my hand and I shake my head as I struggle to order them.

So many little snowflakes. Once I manage to order them in the way I am sure is right I push them together, there is frost covering my hands now, into one big snowflake.

“I might as well start at the beginning” I mutter as I slowly push the snowflake into my eye just as the cold takes hold of me.

I have to remember, I have to choose.

“I might as well start at the beginning” my voice echoes as I slip into the darkness of my memories, and I’ve never agreed with myself more.


	2. My Imaginary Friend

The small girl sits bolt upright in her bed, her shoulder length bright red hair a mess around her head, her teal eyes are wide with fear. Her freckled face is stretched as she screams in terror. Her screams echo around her room, leek out through her closed down and fill the house with her sounds of terror. She’s shaking terribly, but not from cold, not from the crackling ice that is slowly spreading out around her, covering her bed. The ice is spilling over onto the floor and clawing its way up the walls, further ruining the already chipping paint.

She’s gasping for air as she looks around wildly searching for the source of her terror. They’re gone. She swallows hard and blinks slowly as she looks around at the ice. She’s shaking more now as she breaks her blanket free and pulls it up over her head. Under her covers she’s safe, nothing can hurt her.

“We’re okay” she mutters in her soft little voice. “They’re gone and we’re okay” she nods curling up tighter “We need to sleep” she says over and over growing quieter with each repetition before sleep finally takes her.

* * *

Its late afternoon and the little with the bright red hair, now tied into little pig-tails, is leaning against the window frame staring longingly out into the front yard, the window was slowly frosting over. She didn’t notice the white Lincoln that pulled into the driveway, nor did she hear the slamming of the car doors. She was lost in her own little world. A world where she got to roam the streets and play with the other kids she could see enjoying the snow and each other’s company.

“Anna~” came a sweet melodic sing-song voice from the front door “Anna come help Mother with her shopping and the groceries” came the voice again, accompanied by the slamming of the front door.

The little girl, Anna her name was, was on her feet in seconds and ran excitedly to door, her previous thoughts abandoned as she hugged the legs of the woman who had just entered the house “Mother, you’re home!” She cried happily, she nuzzled her face into the woman’s side “I missed you!”

The woman, Anna’s mother, smiled down at her, wrapping her arms around the girl’s shoulders “I missed you to Anna, I missed you to.” She straightened herself to her full height and tossed her long wavy black hair over her shoulder and clapped her hands together “Now then, Anna, why don’t you make yourself useful and help Mother out, hmm?” she asked as she stooped to grab the grocery bags off the floor.

Anna beamed at the thought of being useful and nodded “Of course Mother! What can a do?” she tilted her head as she asked the question.

Her mother had already made it to the kitchen and called back to Anna “Just take Mothers shopping up to her room. That would be wonderful of you”

“Yes, Mother” Anna called back and turned to the bags as the sound of her Mother humming as she stocked the cupboards drifted out into the halls. She frowned slightly “These look heavy” she took a deep breath and huffed “I can do this!” she told herself as she took one massive bag in each hand and lifted them with a hmpt of effort. Her arms were shaking as she turned to the stairs and began walking, each foot placed with great purpose as she made her way up the stairs. She made a great deal of effort not to let the bags hit the steps as she went.

She rested at the top of the stairs for only a moment before she began to hurry down the hall. Suddenly she was sliding, slipping and twisting down the halls, just barely managing to stop herself before hitting the wall at the end of the hall. She set the bags down before she turned slowly to see what had caused her to slip. There was a small trail of ice in the middle of the hall, right where she had stepped. “Elsaaa” she groaned quietly as she looked around “Why would she do that? You could have got us in trouble!” she whispered.

“Anna? Is everything alright up there?” came the sound of her Mother’s voice.

Anna hurried over to the ice and began to stomp on the ice, breaking it up.

“What’s all that banging, Anna?” “Um” Anna looked from the ice to the stairs and then back to the ice again before stomping one last time, shattering the ice “Just, uh, dancing! Yeah I was dancing!” she called back as she kicked the ice shards under a table that sat off to the side of the stairs.

“Well, if you could dance a little quieter” there was a hint of aggravation in her voice.

“Yes Mother” Anna glared back up as she picked up the bags and fished taking them to her Mothers room, setting them on the bed “See what you did, Elsa? You made her get mad at me!” she grumbled as she crossed the hall and peaked into her room. She sighed in relief when she saw that most of the ice had melted. That would save her a lot of trouble later.

Anna hummed a little tune to herself as she hopped down the stair and skipped into the kitchen “I put the bags on your bed, can I watch TV?” she asked sweetly as she twirled her foot on the floor.

Her Mother looked over at her from where she stood chopping onions and sighed “Yes, yes. Whatever you wish my pet.”

With a grin, Anna hurried into the living room and leaped onto the couch. She flicked absently through the channels absently before settling for a cartoon. Anna giggled as the coyote in the show was caught once again by the sheepdog that was watching the field. The little redhead was thoroughly enjoying her rare cartoon time, but it wasn’t long before frost began to creep along the screen “Elsa” Anna mumbled, the frost kept spreading “Elsa stop it” she said louder “You’re going to get up in trouble!” When the frost didn’t stop, Anna flicked through the channels to one of the educational ones, the frost instantly stopped, even receded a little. “You have such boring tastes, Elsa” the little girl mumbled grumpily as she crossed her arms and slumped down on the couch.

“Anna” her Mother called “Can you go into the garage and get me the soup pot” she paused before clarifying “The big one, Dear?”

“Yes Mother” she scrambled off the couch and went over to the door that connected their house to their garage. She took a deep breath and opened the door slowly. The garage had always filled her with a strange sense of fear. It was where her mother kept all of her strange trinkets and mementos of the life she had before Anna, she had been told that when she had put her Mother in a particularly bad mood one day. She shook her head, her little pig-tails swaying with the motion. No time to think of that, she had to get the pot for mother.

She reached out in the dark, fumbling for the light switch. She smiled when she felt cold air guiding her hand to the pull chain. “Thanks Elsa” she muttered as she grabbed the chain and pulled. Light flood the garage and suddenly it didn’t seem so scary. Anna almost laughed at herself for thinking such silly things.

There was nothing in there that could hurt her, so what reason did she have to be afraid? “None” she told herself as she marched her little legs down the steps and began to weave in and among the shelves that filled the garage.

“Soup pot. Soup pot. Soup pot?” she reached into a box and pulled out an odd looking bowl “Nope, not a soup pot” she said as she continued her search. She groaned when she finally found it at the very back “Of course it would be way over here” she grumbled as she lifted it up with a grunt. “Stupid heavy pot" she grumbled as she started walking back.

She heard something rattle behind her and she peered over her shoulder “Elsa?” another thing moved on an upper shelf. “Elsa, if that’s you stop it! This isn’t funny” Anna was walking faster not, her knees bumping the pot. Just as she was calming down, the light above her burst, as did the next on and the one after that in a chain until the garage was dark. Anna screamed and began running, her knees now bumping painfully against the pot. She could hear things moving violently behind her “Elsa, help me!” she cried, feeling a very light frost tingle across her skin as she ran.

It felt like she had been running around for ages when she finally burst out of the dark garage and into the brightness of the hallway, and bumped into her Mother “Anna? Anna dear are you alright?” the soup pot was taken from her and she felt her face being held by her Mothers long fingers. She nodded slowly “The light burst. It scared me”

“Oh my poor dear. How about this, why don’t you go play in the backyard and calm down, I’ll make finish making your soup and I’ll call you when it’s done.” She tilted her head and smiled “How’s that sound?”

Anna nodded and went to the front hall and put her boots on and went to the door.

“Anna” Her Mother “What are you doing?”

“What do you mean? You said I could go outside soooo”

“Where is your coat?” She paused a moment pursing her lips “And your hat, and your gloves and your scarf?”

Anna groaned loudly “Mother why?”

“It’s cold out Anna!”

“But the cold doesn’t even both-“

“I don’t care if it bothers you Anna, it is cold out now go and put on your snow stuff”

Anna groaned “Yes Mother” she returned to the front and horridly put on her snow stuff before running to the backdoor “Can I go now?” she asked, barely waiting for her Mothers affirmative before she was out the door. As soon as she was sure her Mother wasn’t paying attention, Anna shucked off her winter gear and ran into the yard in only her boots and sweater.

She twirled in the snow a moment before freezing, a delighted smile spreading across her face. Their earlier bickering forgiven of more than likely just forgotten, Anna dropped to her knees and began making a ball of snow “Hey Elsa? Want to build a snowman?” she asked, taking the sudden swirl of snow as an obvious yes Anna began to roll the ball, she stopped and started another one that rolled itself around next to her “This is going to be our best Snowman ever!” Anna cheered as she lifted the smaller ball and put it on top of hers. She crossed her arms and stepped back, tilting her head to admire their work “I think he looks great, what about you, Elsa?” she nodded slowly “Yea, he does need a face… Let’s go find some stones”

She was searching near a broken section of fence when she heard the laughter of children “I got you Ted!”

Kneeling down, Anna pulled the board to the side and peered out to see what was going on. It didn’t take her long to figure it out. A snowball fight! She had to get in on that. She paused “Of like you’re one to talk about getting in trouble, Elsa. You’ve been frosting the house all day! Besides, it’ll be fun!” she smiled before adding “And together we make the best snowballs, it would be a shame not to share them” with that, Anna scurried out the fence and into the street. Kids were everywhere and laughter and snowballs filled the air.

Anna hide behind a car and held out her hand. “Okay Elsa, I’m ready. Do it” Her fingers tingled as a ball of snow began to form in her palm. She grinned wickedly “Perfect” she giggled as she stepped out from behind the car and let the ball fly, whooping with joy when it hit its mark, knocking off a boys hat. She hid again making more and sending them sailing at the other kids, and getting hit by more than a few herself. She was having a great time.

Or she was until one of her snowballs hit the boy Ted, square in the face. All of the kids fell silent as he stormed towards Anna, pausing to scoop an armload of snow off a car. Before Anna could react, the snow was tossed harshly into her face, the force of it knocking her over. She blinked in shock trying uselessly to wipe the snow from her face but then he was right there, shoving more and more snow in her face. Elsa may have been able to protect her from the cold the snow brought, but she couldn’t protect her from suffocating under it. He was pressing her face into a snowbank now, she could hear his laughing. Her lungs were burning and she could feel Elsa’s panic and fear, and then that fear turned to rage.

There was a scream of pain followed by screams of fear. The weight pressing her face into the snow was gone and Anna hurried to her feet, coughing and gasping for air. She turned to see what all the commotion was only to see Ted on the ground crying in pain, clutching at his hand that was slowly turning black from extreme frostbite. She took a step back “Elsa” she whimpered.

“They’re over there, Madame Gothel!” a child’s voice called followed by the sound of two sets of footsteps.

Her shoulder was shaken violently and she looked over to see her Mother. She whimpered as tears welled up in her eyes “I didn’t mean it” she whimpered.

Her Mothers gray eyes were cold “I don’t care if you meant it or not Anna! You are making a scene, killing this boy’s hand. Stop it!”

“I-I can’t” she shook her head “Elsa won’t listen”

“Elsa, always Elsa, take responsibility and stop this! Now!"

Anna was crying now “Elsa! I’m fine, stop, please stop Elsa. Don’t do this” she pleaded “Please”

The creeping blackness on Teds hand stopped its progression and her leapt to his feet “Sorcery” he spat “Witch! I’m going to tell everyone about you! Maybe they still burn witches! You’ll pay for this!”

He continued to rant on but Anna could hear what he said, as her Mother had roughly grabbed her arms and was dragging her back to the house. “Get in” she snapped as she all but threw Anna into the house, locking the door quickly “What the hell was that out there Anna!?” she demanded “What did you do to that boy!?”

“It wasn’t me, Mother!” Anna cried “It was Elsa! She was just trying to protect me!”

“Enough, Anna! Elsa this Elsa that, well where is she now? Don’t answer that. She’s ‘attached’ to you.” Her Mother was shaking with rage “Well until you learn to control that… That thing, I forbid you from leaving this house. Not even the damn yard, Anna! Do I make myself clear?” she looked down at Anna’s feet and her scowl seemed to deepen when she saw ice spreading from her feet. “Bed, now. And I don’t want to hear a peep from you!”

Anna stared at her feet “Yes Mother” she muttered as she climbed the stairs, ice trailing after her as she went.

She changed into her pajamas and curled up under the covers. She had no idea how long she lay there before the muffled sound of her Mothers raised voice reached her ears. She rolled over “No Elsa. I don’t want to know” she shook her head “I said no!” she sat up quickly as she felt Elsa drift away “Elsa come back!” Anna clamped her hands over her ears as her Mother’s voice became clear. But the sound was in her head, Elsa could hear her, so she could hear her.

“No, no I don’t think you understand Commander, this is getting out of hand! Yes I know I sighed a contract. Yes I understand that but I did not sign up for this! Better? No it is not getting better, if anything it is getting worse. More and more ice. Wait, what the hell do you mean by ‘that’s better’!? You is trashing my house, I can’t deal with this, Commander! I am not getting paid enough for this! Sure she was fine as a babe, but now? I did not sign on to take care of this… this” she could seem to find the word she wanted “This Devil child!” she spat words out “You get me a doctor who can deal with her, calm her down, and then we’ll see about me keeping her. I-Yes, yes sir I understand. Thank you sir” she hung up the phone.

Elsa had returned to Anna who sat on her bed hugging her knees “Lets…. Let’s just get some sleep Elsa” she muttered as she curls up under the covers.

Sleep was just about to take over them when the lamp on Anna’s bed side table fell over. She curled up tighter “No, leave us alone. We didn’t do anything to you” she pleaded as a shelf was knocked onto its side. “Please!” 

* * *

Madame Gothels head shot up when Anna’s scream reached her ears “Anna!” she was on her feet in seconds, taking the stairs two at a time. As angry as the girl made her, as terrifying as her abilities could be, the raven haired woman had given up seven years of her life to raising and caring for the girl. She was loath to admit it, but she did feel something for the child, deep, deep down in her heart she cared for the girl, and her screams drew a very maternal response from her.

Grabbing the handle of the door she turned it and tried to open it, but it wouldn’t budge. She could hear crashing beyond the door, and without a second thought Madame Gothel through her weight against the door, shattering the ice that had been holding it closed “Anna!” she looked around the room. The room was trashed, and the only light came from the flickering lamp on the floor. Anna?” her eyes fell on a pile of snow in the corner and she slowly approached. The pile shifted and Anna emerged from it. Ignoring the cold and her earlier anger she pulled the girl into a tight hug. Don’t you worry, Mothers here, you’re safe. I’m going to take you to someone who can help you, okay?” the girl nodded “Good, let’s get you dressed and we’ll go."

She helped the girl dress and then the two of them left the house, hand in hand.


	3. First Interview

The room in which Anna now found herself was small, and much to her growing displeasure, incredibly boring to say the least. The walls were painted a bright white and held no windows, but there were a few painting on the wall. Scenes of forests and rivers, images to sooth and calm the people who had to wait in the terribly boring room.

Anna kicked her legs rhythmically under her chair, one of the two that sat against the wall opposite the two others. She rubbed a hand over her freckled face, wincing when her palm rubbed over a scratch a few days ago. 

The florescent light above the chair opposite the freckled girl flickered and dimmed as a thin layer of ice snaked its way across the bulb, drawing a groan of exasperation from Anna. The ice crawled down the wall and coated the chair, small icicle rising up from the seat.

Sitting up suddenly, Anna seized a magazine from the table next to her and whipped it across the room and into the chair, shattering the ice that was growing there and sending shards of it crashing to the floor. “Stop it Elsa” Anna snapped glaring at a spot on the wall just above the chair. “It’s your fault that we’re here Elsa” she grumbled while crossing her arms, making a point of not looking towards the chair. 

More ice shot up on the chair and Anna huffed “my fault? How so?” a pause “It’s not like you would have listened to me if I told you to stop.” She grumbled “and just because I thought it was kind of funny doesn’t mean that it was okay to do”

At the sound of the door opening Anna fell into silence and turned her gaze to see her Mother walking through the door. She adjusted her skirt and pulled her purse higher on her shoulder. “This man, he will be replacing Dr. Weslton, indefinitely. He says that he cannot continue being your therapist, not after you tried to kill him” 

“He slipped on ice” Anna mumbled as she sank low into her chair.

“Your ice, Anna” she continued.

“Elsa’s ice” The little redhead corrected.

With a huff of descent her mother pressed on “well after the incident, I did a little” she paused “digging. This is the only doctor I could find who was willing to help you.” She smiled as sweetly as she could “He would like to meet you today” she tried when Anna didn’t make any move to get up she kneeled down next to her “This doctor, Anna he can help you, but you have to let him, you have to meet him.”

Anna nodded and got to her feet slowly. She was nervous, doctors always made her nervous. She looked at the door and gulped before walking to it and entering.

The office that greeted her was a stark contrast to the waiting room that she had just left. It was dimly lit and not a single wall was fully visible. They were covered in shelves and framed certificates. Her eyes fell on the desk that dominated half the office. A computer, a stack of papers, and a name plate that read ‘Dr. Oaken’. She ran her hand along the desk till her fingers came to a small snow globe. Inside was a small dancing snowman, he looked like he was on a beach. Inside was a small sign “Winter in Miami” Anna read with a small smile. Why would a snowman be in Miami?

“Yoo hoo” came a cheery voice, startling Anna out of her thoughts and drawing her gaze up slowly to meet the eyes of an absolutely enormous man who had been sitting behind the desk. He wore a suit that seemed to big even for his large form. He ran a hand through his blond hair and smiled. “Didn’t mean to startle you dear. You like my snow globe, yah?” he asked, his voice think with a heavy Scandinavian accent, as he nodded towards the object on the corner of his desk and when Anna nodded back he smiled more. “Me to. They make me think of home, and my family. They give me good feelings” he chuckled and sat up more.

“But of course dear, down to business little one. My name is Dr. Oaken. I am a specialist, a very special specialist” he motioned for the freckled little girl to sit in the seat across from her and only continued when she did “I specialize in studying strange events. The very events that surround you.”

At the mention of this Anna tensed and tried to shrink into the chair. This was it, he was going to tell her what everyone had always told her. Her fault, her problem, her mistakes. Oaken saw this and placed one of his great hands on the desk and leaned down, trying to make himself seem smaller, to comfort the girl “Now Anna. There is no reason for being afraid. I want to help you” when she looked up he smiled again “There now, your Mother has told me about you, your powers” he paused “And Elsa” he leaned over more “What can you tell me about her, Elsa, I mean?” 

Anna tilted her head and sat up “Elsa? You actually want to hear about Elsa?” this was new to Anna. No one had ever wanted to talk with her about Elsa. She allowed herself a small smile “What about Elsa?” she asked, she could feel frost tingling over her body, and she could tell that Elsa was happy about this to.

“Well, let’s start with where she came from, can you tell me that?” Oaken asked kindly.

Anna furrowed her brow and shrugged, looking just a little now that she was opening up “I don’t know. She’s always been there, as long as I can remember she has been there with me” she shrugged again “Just you know, there”

He nodded whilst making some notes “I see” he hummed “can you tell me what she is?” he asked, regretting the question almost as soon as it left his mouth when he saw Anna sink back in the chair “Its ok, you don’t have to answer. Here” he rooted through his desk and pulled out a pad of paper and a box of crayons. “Could you” he paused and pushed the objects closer “Could you draw Elsa?”

Anna’s eyes lit up and she smiled, frost crackling through her hair. She opened the box with a nod. Drawing was one of her favourite things to do, and she loved showing her art off. She scribbled rapidly onto the paper, smiling all the while. When she was done she turned the paper and pushed it back to Oaken.

On the page was a small stick girl with flaming red pigtails and a little dress. It wasn’t very detailed, clearly a drawing done by a child, but next to it was something done in far more detail. A snowflake, a very detailed snowflake. Between the two images was a chain of sorts, connecting the two. Oaken picked up the paper and looked it over “This snowflake, this is Elsa, ja?” Anna nodded shyly as a reply. Oaken smiled more “She is very pretty, Anna” he said as he placed the drawing into a drawer, missing the little girls blush, and the light frost that briefly skimmed out around Anna. When he sat back up she was rubbing at her face.

The great man looked around “Is Elsa here with us, Anna?”

She nodded “Elsa is always with me”

Oaken nodded again “Could Elsa do something, to show me that she is here?” no sooner had the question left his mouth then ice raced over the monitor of his computer, freezing it in a solid block of ice that began to spill onto the desk, only stopping when Oaken pushed his chair back away from the ice. “Fascinating” he muttered, turning his gaze back to Anna. “Can you tell her what to do, control her?”

Anna scrunched up her little freckled face and shook her head “No, I can’t tell her what to do, no one can.” She shivered “Sometimes Elsa can’t even control herself. Sometimes she gets scared and things go crazy and she can’t control it” she shook her head “Sometimes she scares me. The things she can do, the things she says, or tries to get me to help with, and I can’t do anything” she clenched her fist “But I don’t want to be afraid of her. It makes her sad, but a lot of things make her sad. She’s trapped, with me. She wants to be free, and I want her to be free to.” She rests her hands on Oaken’s desk “I want her to be happy.”

Suddenly her hands are in Oaken’s and her is turned then over slowly, his blue eyes narrowed “These cuts on your hands, and the ones on your face Dear, did Elsa do this to you?” he asked, his voice filled with worry for the girl who sat before him.

Anna pulled her hands back, clutching them close to her chest. She shook her head “No, no Elsa didn’t. Elsa would never, not to me.” She looked up at the doctor, her teal eyes shimmering “Elsa may be scary sometimes, and she may do scary things, but she would never ever hurt me. Not ever” she stated, her little face seemed oddly prideful.

Dr. Oaken nodded to himself, folding his hands once more “Then, may I ask what did do this?”

There was a long pause as Anna thought her answer over. The frost that had been growing over her chair thickened into a thick sheet of ice. Her eyes fell to the desk as she answered in a small voice “The Monsters” she shudders at the thought.

Disturbed by this, Oaken rises from his seat. Whatever these ‘monsters’ were, they caused great fear in the girl, fear the pained the doctor to see. Without a word he reached across the desk and placed his hand on her head, ruffling her fiery hair “Anna, I’m going to help you with this. I promise I will help you” he smiled “So, do you trust me, little one?”  
Anna nodded slowly “Yes Dr. Oaken.”

“Please, Anna. Just Oaken”

Anna smiled “Okay. I trust you, Oaken.”


	4. First Night

Anna glanced about the living room of her new home. Her Mother had said that she got to be like a big girl and have her own place for a while, maybe longer. How long was awhile? A day or two, a few weeks maybe? Months? The little seven year old didn’t care how long it was, she didn’t want to stay here at all. She wanted to go home.  Why couldn’t she stay home? She looked down remembering why, the Monsters. Oaken had wanted her closer so that he could do his studies to try and find out just what they were, and why they were attacking her.

She turned slowly to face the three adults who stood by the door, observing her actions, absently messing with the end of one of her short twin braids.

Her Mother was there of course, she looked as worried as Anna felt, and her doctor, Oaken, and a younger man whom Anna had known for only a few months, Oaken’s new assistant Sven.

Sven, as she had quickly learned, was an odd man. Very sweet and kind, but defiantly odd, and smelly, but not in a super bad way. He was much shorter then Oaken and was also much more laid back then the good doctor. Muscular, but not bulky, Sven had tanned skin from years of surfing the coast before settling into a respectable occupation and short chopped light brown hair, and a smile that was contagious to anyone, even her Mother. Anna had decided quickly that she liked Sven.

But now the three of them stood there watching her. Were they waiting for her?

Oaken was the first to speak “Do you like the apartment, Anna?”

She responds with a simple nod and a “Its fine”

Her Mother kneeled down in front of her and hugged the girl gently. She stood and gripped Anna’s small shoulders and smiled softly. “You’ll be fine, Anna” she assured the young girl. Madam Gothel ran a hand over Anna’s head and cupped her cheek. “I love you”

“I love you more” Anna replied quietly.

“I love you most” the black haired woman said as she gently tapped the little red heads freckled nose and hurried out of the room without so much as a goodbye.

She had just left, with no word of when she would be back, if she was indeed going to be comeing back for her. But why would she? All Anna seemed to do was cause accidents at home, be it from Elsa’s ice or her own clumsiness. What Mother would want that? None, no mother wanted that. A daughter was supposed to be graceful, a parents pride and joy. But Anna wasn’t that. She looked down and bites back a small sniffle before she felt a great pair of arms wrap around her and hold her close.

“Oh little Anna, worry not. It will not be long before you are home again. You trust Oaken, Ya?” the man asked quietly while rubbing slow circles on her back. When he felt her nod he stepped back “Good girl, you are so brave little Anna” his smile showed through his mustache as he ruffled the girls hair. “Now, the hour grows late, and the time for sleep is upon you. Why don’t you get ready for bed?”

“Okay” Anna replied quietly as she walked back into her room. She heard the door close, signalling to her that Oaken and Sven had left. She pulled open a drawer in her dresser and retrieved her pajamas, her favourite pair that were covered in a green crocus print. Holding them close she hurried into the attached washroom and got changed. When she emerged a voice filled the room and startled her.

“Ready for bed snowflake?” Sven’s low and calming voice drifted through a speaker system.

“y-yes” she managed to squeak out.

Sven chuckled as he walked into the room “Sorry Anna, I didn’t mean to startle you” he motioned to the cameras and speakers around the apartment “Oaken had these installed so we could watch over you, make sure you’re ok. Kinda like guardian angels, of something like that” he smiled kindly “Want me to tuck you in, Snowflake?”

Anna pouted “I’m a big girl, I can look after myself, and put myself to bed” she looked down and clasped her hands together “But, I guess you could tuck me in. Just tonight though!” she said as she hurried into her room, grabbing her flashlight and stuffed dog as she went, and hopped into bed.

Sven chuckled and muttered something about cute kids under his breath as he approached the bed. He pulled the covers up to her chin, making sure that the dog was just as covered “There go, snug as a bug” he smiled “You sleep well kiddo. I’ll just be in the next room over there, so if you need anything just call, I’ll be there” he flicked off the light in the bedroom and made his way to the door, but just before he turned off the light in the living room, Anna sat up with a little cry.

“NO! N-Not that light!” she whimpered “Could you leave it on? Please?”

Sven removed his hand from the light switch and smiled sweetly “Scared of the dark, Snowflake?”

Anna shook her head, hugging the dog tightly “Not me, Elsa. The dark makes her feel lonely”

“Ah, for Elsa. Okay, I’ll leave the light on, but you get some sleep. Goodnight Anna”

“Night, Sven” she called back as he left.

Anna lay back down and held the stuffed dog above her head. It was the strangest dog she had ever seen but she loved it all the same. The plush of its fur was a blue colour with darker blue markings and its ears were big like those of a rabbit. Big black eyes and a big blue nose dominated its face, and it’s human like arms and legs ended in clawed fingers and toes. The girl hugged it tightly “Goodnight, Stitch” she muttered as she curled up “Good night Elsa.”

After much tossing and turning, Anna groaned. She just couldn’t get to sleep. “Elsa” she whispered “Would you let me a story?” she smiled softly “Thanks Elsa” she picked up her flashlight and directed its beam of light to the ceiling and waited.

Slowly frosty images began to materialize in the light. A little fox and a dog bounded happily about the light. Their antics brought a smile and a small giggle to Anna as the frost images played. She loved it when Elsa used her powers to make her happy, it made the times when they were scary more bearable.

Both the images and Anna’s quiet giggles stopped suddenly when the light began to flicker. “Batteries” Anna said nervously “Probably just the batteries, right Elsa?” She tried to keep calm. There was nothing to fear, they couldn’t get her here. She thought to herself, a thought that lasted only until the bedside lamp began to flicker wildly. “No no no no no” she muttered, curling up tightly “Leave me alone! Leave me al-AHHH!” she screamed in terror as a presence gripped her ankle tightly and ripped her from her bed. “SVEN!” she cried as she was tossed about like a doll. When no reply came she screamed louder. Why was no one coming to help her? Her back hit the dresser as she was tossed again. “Elsa” she whimpered “Elsa, get help! Get Sven!” she cried as the Entities continued their assault.

* * *

_Elsa hovered feet above the young girl she was bound to. She could see the shimmering shadows that were attacking her host and backed up in fear. “Elsa!” the girl was crying out for her “Elsa, get help! Get Sven!” she cried. Sven? One of the men who had trapped them in this room, and taken them away from the woman whom Anna called Mother? Why? Her mind was racing till she remembered that the monsters always seemed to leave when an adult came to their aide. She tugged at their link as she moved further and further away from the girl and her suffering. She had to get to the man._

_She fazed through the wall that separated the girl’s apartment and the observation room. She gazed franticly around until she saw the man she was looking for. Sven sat slouched back in his seat snoring loudly. How could he sleep as such when Anna was in danger! Elsa tried to call out to the man, but possessing no voice she was unable to make even a sound. How was she to wake him if he could not hear her as Anna did?_

_As her panic rose the temperature in the room began to drop, causing Sven to shiver and twist in his sleep. That’s when it hit her. Her cold, her ice. She moved closer to Sven and trailed ice along his arm before causing it to dog painfully into his skin._

_Sven awoke with a cry and brushed the ice off of his arm “That was mean” he growled sleepily before his eyes drifted to the frost covered screens and saw Anna floating in the air, held aloft by an unknown being. “Anna!” he was on his feet and at the door in seconds and threw his body against it several times in an attempt to get it open “Damn it! Anna the door is stuck! Hold tight, I’m going to get Oaken and we will get you out of there!” he yelled as he rushed out of the room._

_Going to get Oaken? How long would that take? She could feel Anna’s pain. Would they make it back in time? It was possible that they would, but it was not absolute. With a shudder she passed back into the room and watched fearfully as the shadows knocked Anna about. A particularly rough strike carved a cut into Anna’s right cheek and Elsa felt rage course through her being. They were going to kill her host. Anna, her Anna would die if she continued to do nothing. Spurred on by Anna’s shriek of pain, Elsa rushed forward, blasting the Entity nearest to her with frigid ice, knocking it away. The next blast was aimed at the one that held Anna, sending the girl in the ground. There was pounding at the door, the man were back but Elsa still fought on. For Anna, She would do everything she could to keep her safe. These shadow beings were nothing against her ice._

_One last blast had the fowl creatures fleeing the room. The door opened slowly and Elsa returned to Anna. She felt exhausted. It was a new feeling, but a welcome one that warmed her ever so slightly as she nestled herself back in her host._

* * *

Oaken and Sven rushed into the room gazing at the destruction around them in fear for the girl. “Anna?” Oaken moved through the apartment and looked into her bedroom. Anna was leaning against the foot of her bed covered in bumps and bruises, the cut on her cheek bleeding steadily. “Anna!” within a few strides Oaken is by her side, pulling her into a tight hug “It’s okay now Little Anna, they’re gone. You’re safe” he rocked the girl as he spoke.

“I know” Anna’s voice is small, yet holds a new strength to it “Don’t worry Oaken. They won’t come back, and even if they do, I’ll be okay now”

Oaken leans back and looks at the girl questioningly “How are you knowing this little one?” he asked calmly.

“Because Elsa is brave now. They don’t scare her anymore” she held a hand to her heart as she continued “And I know that Elsa will always protect me. Always”


	5. Alone

Anna sat huddled up on the end of the couch that sat in her apartment. It had taken a year for her mother to finally come and visit her and when she did she did not bring happy news. She came with no hellos, but a long goodbye that bore no sign of another hello. Her Mother kneeled before her, gently smoothing her hair from her eyes. Anna kept her eyes trained on the ground “Do you have to go?” she asked in a quiet voice.

“Anna, the military is not to be questioned. This transfer came from the top. This is very important to me, Anna, you must understand this” Madam Gothel stood up slowly “And you know how it pains me to leave you here, but it must be so, you are not through here. There is much that Dr. Oaken here can still learn.” She patted her on the top of the head and strutted her way to the door, her dress swaying as she went. She turned on her heel and examined her nails absently as she addressed Anna again “Perhaps, if you are lucky, once you gain control over this” she paused a moment to sneer “This Ice that flows through you little one, you will be able to join me in the south.”

Madam Gothel turned and whispered into Oaken’s ear “I cannot thank you enough Doctor, for taking this Devil Child off my hands. It is great to be free of it” her words hung in the air as she moved to go through the door. Anna was on her feet in moments, her Mothers words which had been whispered just a tad too loudly had reached her ears, and Elsa’s.

Frost sparked dangerously around the room as Anna walked forwards, ice raced out from her feet as she walked. Elsa was angry, she could feel it through to her bones, and she was pulling her forward.

The ice took hold of Madam Gothels ankles and began to snake its way up her leg, freezing it into a solid block with the skirts of her dress. Her shrieks of terror were swiftly drowned out as frost raced across her mouth, sealing it shut. Frozen with both ice and fear, the woman whom Anna had called Mother all her young life stared at her in growing horror as the ice made its steady climb up.

“Anna!” Oaken’s voice pierced the sickening silence “Anna you must STOP her!”

Anna stood shaking in fear “I can’t” she whispered “she doesn’t listen to me!”

Oaken kneeled beside her and stooped his head low “If she does this, she will not be the one to regret it, to live with it, little Anna, you will. Make her understand.” He whispered his next words to you “Though I cannot see her, nor can I hear her as you can, but I can tell you cares. That night with the Entities, she cared. Tell her” With that he stepped back to stand once more with Sven to watch how Anna would handle things.

“E-Elsa” Anna stammered out “Elsa stop!” She took a step forward “Elsa this is wrong! Killing her won’t make me feel better. It won’t change anything Elsa. Just let her go, please”

Slowly but surely the ice began to recede, making its way back to Anna before melting entirely.

Madam Gothel collapsed to her knees, gasping for breath as the ice left her face. She couldn’t tell if she was shaking from cold or fear. More likely a mix of both. Slowly she struggled to her feet. She set her narrowed eyes upon Anna as she backed away slowly “Monster” she muttered as she went, her voice steadily growing louder “You are a monster!” she shouted as she finally hurried out the door and was gone.

Anna stood still, staring at the door and watching the flight of the woman who had raised her, who had claimed to love her. She was gone from Anna’s life, she would never come back for her, and Anna didn’t want her to. She was glad to be rid of her. It felt freeing. But her mind began to wander. With her Mother gone, who did Anna have left? Who would comfort her when she was sad or scared? She felt frost tingle across her fingers. Elsa, of course she always had Elsa, but Elsa couldn’t hold her and tell her-

“Everything is going to be okay, Little Anna” Oaken was behind her, holding her small form close with his great were wrapped around her, holding her close. Thick fingers were stroking back her messy hair and she looked over to see Sven crouched by her side “We’re here for you, Snowflake” he said with his usual bright smile “And we aint going anywhere. We got you Anna” he ruffled her hair and brought a small smile to her face.

Anna leaned back against Oaken and allowed herself to smile more as Sven worked his fingers through her hair. Elsa sent frost sparking out her finger tips, just to feel included, and Anna smiled even brighter.

She may not have a Mother, or a Father, or a family even. She may be alone at times, but not really. She did have Elsa, but when that wasn’t enough, she had Dr. Oaken and Sven. They didn’t care that Elsa was part of her, they even accepted her, and they just cared.

They were there for her, the three of them. Elsa, Dr. Oaken and Sven. They were her family, and she would never be truly alone.


	6. The Experiment

It had been little over a week since the incident with Madam Gothel and Anna was slowly getting over it. Her mother, or more rather the woman who had played the part of her mother, had abandoned her and that was something that would take time for the little redhead to recover from. Oaken and Sven were very accepting of this and she was grateful for that. She was starting to settle into her new life with the two men who cared for her.

Anna sat on the floor of her bedroom with Stitch held out in front of her as she made him walk. In her mind the strange little blue dog was trying to escape from some intergalactic prison, an image brought up by a night of watching Star Wars with Sven. She made the toy jump and dodge over and around obstacles that Elsa was all too willing to bring into reality from the girls mind bringing a bright smile to Anna's face.

She heard the door open but ignores the new comer in her room entirely as she lifts Stitch above her head "He's stolen a spaceship Elsa! Now he can escape and fly off into space!" she cheered. There were stars in space, and while Elsa could give the little runaway space dog stars to soar through, she could make something that looked like them. Snowflakes filled the air above Anna as Stitch made his escape and the joyous little seven year old ran face first into Sven's leg and stumbled back, falling on her rear.

Sven laughed and helped hoist the little girl to her feet before carefully swinging her in a circle, drawing an explosion of giggles from Anna before setting her on her feet "What adventures has Stitch gone on today?" he asked in a whisper as he kneeled before her, like the adventures of the blue dog were a secret meant for only him and Anna.

She smiled, hugging the stuffed dog close "He was a smuggler" she started "But he isn't a very good one 'cause he got caught by the space police and got locked up!"

Sven smiled "But our hero's story can't end there can it?"

Anna shook her head "No prison can hold Stitch! He's super strong and brave, like I wanna be. He broke out and was chased." She nodded excitedly as she spoke "And he stole a spaceship so that he could get away! Elsa made him stars to fly through!" she motioned to the now fallen and melting snow "Elsa's really good at making things now" she smiled brightly "But he didn't get very far, because his ship crashed into a planet"

Sven tilted his head to one side "What planet?"

The girl giggled "You!"

Sven laughed and ruffled her hair "Well it turns out that this planet isn't really a planet at all, but a giant that takes ships"

Anna made a mock gasp before laughing. When her laughter died down she looked back at Sven "Do I have to go? I was having fun with Elsa" she pouted.

"Sorry Snowflake. Bosses orders. It's time now. You can play when you're done"

Anna pouted more as she went into her room to put Stitch on her bed before returning to Sven "Okay, let's go"

Sven took her hand in his and lead her out into the hallway.

People in lab coats greeted them cheerily as they walked down the hall that lead to the room that Anna had become so familiar with, room A130. It was the room where all of Anna's testing took place, some of it aimed at her, but mostly aimed at learning about Elsa, her powers and their link.

"Here we are, Anna. Oaken is waiting inside for us" Sven said as he opened the door for Anna.

Oaken smiled down at the girl as kindly as always "Good day little Anna, how are you today?" he asked.

"I'm good Oaken." Anna smiled back "Me and Elsa were playing a game about space!"

"Space, ya? I'd love to hear about your adventures" He placed a hand on her shoulder and lead her to the table in the center of the room and Anna sat down in the chair at it.

The room itself wasn't much to look at. Just a plain white room with plain white floor tiles and bright florescent lights. Hanging from the ceiling was a ring of cameras, all trained at Anna, all there to record every little thing that happened around her during Dr. Oaken's tests. They made her nervous, the cameras, but not as nervous as the mirrors. Two way mirrors, Sven had called them. There was one in front of her and one to her right, set into the wall so that the people in the next rooms over could watch and observe her while keeping her blind to their presence.

She shifted uneasily in her chair as Sven placed the sensor device on her head. Like a crown, he had said the first time to help her be a little less nervous of it. It was heavy, not to the point where it hurt to wear, but just heavy enough her it never to be comfortable.

As Sven left the room, leaving only Anna and Oaken, and Anna found her thoughts flickering back to the incident with her mother. They hadn't done a test since then, and Anna was only now regaining her comfort with Elsa's powers (though you wouldn't know it from how they played). She knew that on the other side of the mirror before her was a person. a person whom Elsa would have to go near. A person whom, whether she meant to or not, Elsa could hurt. Anna's teal eyes widened at the fear that filled her from that thought. She didn't want Elsa to hurt anyone, she didn't want to be afraid again. Looking to Oaken, Anna voiced her fear with a simple question "Do I have to do this?" her voice shook slightly as she spoke.

As impossible as it seemed, Oaken's face softened even more "You'll be fine, Anna" he said as she walked to the door "Sven and I will be in the next room watching, ya?" the door closes and Anna is alone.

"Testing, Anna can you hear me?" Sven's voice echoes from the speakers in the room.

Anna nods in response and smiles.

"Good, that good. Now Anna, today we are going to be testing your connection to Elsa." The man begins to explain "We want to see just how deep it runs. See if you can see what she sees, know what she knows. Is that okay with you?"

Anna nods again. She already knows the answers to this test. Elsa had ventured around the house she had lived in with Madam Gothel and shown her hiding spots and allowed her to hear the neighbours chatting away with her mother. She smiled more as her fear lessened. An easy test, one that had nothing to do with Elsa's powers.

"Alright then Anna. Let's begin. In the next room there is a woman named Caroline" Sven chuckled "She's waving" he said, and Anna waved back "Now, Caroline there has five cards in front of her, same ones that are in front of you kiddo. She will pick a card, and you pick the matching one. Ready? First card"

Anna felt Elsa drift away from her and knew she had to be in the room with Caroline. She blinked as images pf the room filled her mind.

It wasn't much different from the room she herself was in. The lights were dimmed and was the only one camera set up in the corner. Caroline, a woman on the larger side of things with messy brown hair, sat a table like Anna's and was absently twirling her card in the air. She seemed bored with the whole thing. A star. Anna blink, Caroline was holding the star card. She picked up her matching card and was pleased to hear the delighted sound in Sven's voice as he called for the next card.

Anna was determined now, it was like a game. A game that she knew she would win, but a game none the less.

Caroline held up the card with a square on it.

'Why could these cards be coloured, they would be far less boring to stare at' Anna thought as she tapped the matching card.

"Next card" Sven called.

The woman now held a card with three wavy lines.

'Like green? Why couldn't they be green cards?' she pushed the card forward. This had quickly become the most boring test the girl had ever done.

"Good job Kiddo. How about we try something else?"

Anna sat up at this, something else? Like what?

"In the next room there is a flower, why not see if you can frost it over?"

He wanted to let Elsa use her powers. Anna swallowed hard. He wanted her to use her powers near this stranger. Anna was about to refuse when she felt Elsa tug. She wanted to prove herself to Anna again, and this was her chance. Swallowing again, Anna nodded.

* * *

_Elsa phased into the next room and glanced at the little flower that sat on the corner of the table. It was small and purple, Elsa liked purple, blue was better, but purple was still nice. She circled around it slowly as frost began to creep up the stem and slowly over the flower itself. With one little thought the frost expanded suddenly into full on ice, startling Caroline._

_"Good Anna. Is there anything else you can do in there?" Sven's voice sounded in the room._

_Anything else? He wanted her to do more? Elsa moved about and her gaze fell upon a small stack of file. Papers, what could she do with papers? The thought struck Elsa so suddenly that she had to reprimand herself for almost losing it. With a great deal of concentration, Elsa sent a blast of icy cold wind at the papers, sending them flying about the room._

_If she was capable of it, Elsa would have laughed at the way the woman pushed her chair away from the desk in a mild fright. This was defiantly more then she had bargained for._

_She paused a moment. No one had told her to stop, why? She could feel Anna's nervousness but she pressed on. The bottle of water on the desk froze so fast that the cap burst right off of it, sending Caroline for another fright. One more thing, Elsa thought then she would stop. She froze Caroline's bag into a block of ice and sent it sliding across the floor and crashing into the opposite wall. That was when things went wrong. Caroline leapt to her feet and backed away from the table slowly._

_Anna knew Caroline was scared, and that scared her. That growing fear flowed through their link and into Elsa causing her to become fearful. She could feel the ice spiraling out of her control. Anna, help me! She cried out through their link._

_The temperature in the room began to drop as ice began to spiral across the floor. The lens of the camera cracked from the sheer cold and the thick layer of ice snapped the table._

_Caroline was at the door now "I'm sorry, I can't do this! I'm done!"_

_"Anna, we're done now. The experiment is over" Oaken's voice called through the speakers._

_The ice was spreading faster now, prickling into sharp spikes and sealing off the door._

_"The door froze" Caroline breathed as she yanked on it "The door froze!" she shrieked this time._

_"Get her out of there!" Oaken's voice again "Anna you have to stop!"_

_"I can't!" Anna cried "I can't if she can't!"_

_Hearing the girl's voice only seemed to make it worse as the ice curled towards Caroline. I'm so sorry, Anna. Elsa desperately tried to reign in the ice. You're too afraid, I can't stop it! Fear of her own was bubbling up inside of her. What would Anna think of her now? Would she hate her? What would it be like to be trapped with someone who hated you? She didn't want that._

* * *

Oaken threw open the door and rushed to Anna, picking her up and pulling her close to his chest in one swift motion. "I've got you Anna" he whispered as he held her tightly "it's okay, you don't have to be scared, everything is alright. Calm down, little Anna"

Anna clung to the massive doctor and hid her face against him, trying to calm herself down. Elsa was scared, she was so scared. Was that her fault? She closed her eyes. 'I'm okay Elsa, it's okay.' She thought 'calm down and everything will be fine' the thought surprised her. When had she become so logical in the face of fear? Maybe it was just the affect that Oaken had. She felt safe.

* * *

_Anna's thoughts were calming to the distraught Entity and she felt her fear lessening and her control building up again. With an exhausting amount of effort, Elsa defrosted the door, allowing Sven and an orderly to burst into the room, shattering the spikes and sending ice shards flying._

_"We got her Oaken!" Sven called as the orderly rushed the woman from the frigid room. "It's okay, Elsa" his voice was low "It's done. Anna needs you. Don't worry about melting the ice" he smiled "I got this"_

_Elsa sent a small flurry of thanks to Sven and phased back out of the room and returned to Anna._

* * *

"It's over now, Little Anna" Oaken whispered as she rocked her.

Anna felt a coldness settling in the pit of her heart and unconsciously brought a hand up to cover it. Elsa had returned to her. She closed her still teary eyes and shook her head. "It'll never be over" she muttered. Elsa and her powers would always be a part of her, Anna knew this, but she was still unsure of what she thought of this fact.


	7. Chapter 7

Anna lay on the floor of a small office like room with her feet swaying behind her. She had finished her testing for the day hours ago and Oaken and Sven had been going over the results since then.

The cartoons on the television had ceased being entertaining and Anna could feel herself dozing off. Every so often her head would dip down and she would startle herself awake again. With a loud yawn, she pushed herself to her feet and shuffled over to the desk they were working at “Dr. Oaken, I’m tired” she whined “Can we go yet?” trying her best to stifle another yawn.

Oaken looked up from her note to look at the clock on the wall in shock “Is that the time?” he asked himself before turning to Anna “I’m sorry Anna, I was so wrapped up that I lost track of time. Her ruffled her already messy red hair and smiled “How around this, little Anna, since you had a long day, I’ll read you a bed time story so you have the good dreams, Yah?”

Perking up at this, Anna beamed and nodded “I love it when you read to me Oaken!”

The doctor chuckles “I think the book is in the back storage there, yah? You know the one” he grinned “The Tales of Flynn Rider. Go get it Anna, while I finish up here”

Anna nodded and hurried off to find the book.

The storage room was simple enough. The walls were lined with metals shelves, with a few in the middle of the room and in the back was a long metal table. The shelves were filled with boxes and machines, but it was the table that held her target. As she weaved about between the shelves, the lights began to flicker. As she paused she saw her breath pooling in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as she looked about “Elsa that isn’t funny, spot it” she snapped quietly before hurrying along as the lights flickered more “Elsa I said stop it!” she whispered as she approached the book. The book flipped open and the pages flipped by, stopping on a picture of Flynn Rider riding his horse down a rainy mountain trail.

She was nervous now. She scooped up the book and turned to hurry out of the room. She freezes suddenly at the sight that suddenly appeared before her. Three children, all around her age, all with the same dark brown hair and green eyes, behind them an older girl with the same hair and eyes and next to her a man with matching green eyes but blond hair. The thing about them that caused the little girl the most shock wasn’t their sudden appearance, but the blood. All of them her cover in blood. She looked at them nervously. They were there, she could see them, but at the same time they were misty, like there was a vale of thin fog around them keeping them detached. Then the light flickered once more and they were gone.

Her breath came to her short and nervous as she stood in shock. The floor beneath her feet was icing over from her fear so she hurried from the room, still scared and confused. What she saw wasn’t real, she told herself, a figment of her imagination.

She hurries back to Oaken and searches his face for any signs that he saw what she did as she handed him the book, but his face was blank. Like he hadn’t seen them at all. Oaken began to talk to her but she wasn’t paying attention. The misty family was back, standing just behind him, staring at him with looks of loss. Anna doesn’t understand.

Oaken shook the girls shoulder lightly, bringing her attention back to him “Anna? Are you alright?” he asked as he gently pressed the back of his hand to her forehead “You look pale, little one.”

“Leave the girl be, Oaken” Sven brushed off his concern “she’s just tired, been a long day, right?” he smiles “Let’s get her to bed”

Oaken didn’t look very convinced but her stood up and began leading the girl from the room none the less. The pair didn’t make it far before Sven poked his head out the door “Oaken, you got a phone call, seems important”

Anna took the book from the doctor as he took the phone from Sven.

“Hello? Yes this is Dr. Oaken” he said as he sat down and listened to what the person on the other end had to say. Slowly, his cheery face fell to one of sorrow, he sat there trembling as he said “Thank you” and hung up the phone, resting his head on the desk.

“Oaken?” Sven calls nervously as he pokes his head back in the door “What was all that about?”

“They’re gone, Sven” Oaken’s voice was hollow with not a single trace of its usual cheer “All of them are gone” lifted his head up and looked at Sven and Anna with water eyes “My wonderful Eirik, and Agnis, and the little ones Emma, Hugo and Kevin” Oaken whimpered “All gone”

Sven’s face fell as he heard this “Your family, Oaken? I’m so sorry”

“Eirik and the little ones, they was heading home, they spent the weekend at my Mothers sauna.” He paused “The van was hit, hard, they was rolling down into a ditch” he was shaking terribly now “When the emergency worker got there, they was all called dead on site.”

Sven looked from Oaken to Anna before walking into the room and squeezing the man’s shoulder “Stay here” he said with a hint of command in his voice “I’m going to take Anna to her room” he said as he back out and took Anna’s hand “Come on Snowflake”

As she was lead down the hall, Anna spared a glance over her shoulder when Oaken’s sobbing reached her ears and saw the man crumpled over his desk, arms over his head, as is he was trying to hide himself from the world.


	8. Hauntings

“There you go, Snowflake, all tucked in” Sven mumbled to Anna with only the slightest of smiles gracing his usually cheery face. He stood and turned to leave “Good night Anna”

“Sven” Anna spoke up. Even just speaking his name, she sounded nervous. She swallowed hard as she asked the questions that had been bothering her “Where is Oaken? Is he okay?”

With a heavy sigh, Sven turned back and sat on the edge of her bed “Oaken is….” He paused a moment “Hurting, he’s hurting real bad, Hun” he squeezed her knee slightly “these past few days, they’ve been hard on him. His family, they meant everything him, he would have given the world just to see them smile. He’s grieving, which I guess is a good sign. Better he grieve than feel nothing. But he hasn’t left his office in three days” he looked at Anna and gave her a small sad smile “I’m worried about him too, but he’ll get through this. You’ll see” he said, more to convince himself then the girl as he stood up again “Now get some sleep. I’ll see you in the morning”

She nodded and curled up in her soft blankets “Goodnight, Sven”

* * *

Something was different, a wrong sort of different. Even in the depths of her sleep Anna could feel it. The wrongness of it. Elsa could feel it to, Anna could feel the ice buzzing around her heart informing her that Elsa wanted her up, now.

With a gasp, Anna’s eyes shot open and she sat up, gazing about the room. An icy mist was hanging lazily in the air. The mist began to twist and turn, taking on a very human shape. Anna rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she gazed at the specter. It was the man she had seen with the misty family in the storage room, though his body was void of any of the blood that she had seen that night Anna was still sure it was him.

“Who are you?” she whispered as she leaned forward to take a closer look. Without the blood she could see his form much better. He was huge, muscular, with a messy mop of blond hair that made her think of Oaken. She blinked and leaned closer as she desperately tried to remember the names that Oaken had listed after his phone call. She tilted her head as a name came to mind. She couldn’t be certain, but the man before her looked so much like the good doctor that it was worth a shot “Eirik?” she whispered. The shock in his eyes confirmed her thought and she allowed herself a small smile “You’re Oaken’s” she paused “His son, right?” she bit her lip when he nodded sadly “Or… were. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude”

He shook his head and beckoned to Anna “You want me to follow you?” she asked quietly. He nodded and vanished, only to appear by her door seconds later. Slowly Anna got out of bed and stumbled over to her door and pulled it open.  “Eirik?” she whispered into the dark hall as the specter had once again vanished and appeared a ways down the hall. He motioned for her to follow again and follow she did.

The halls through which she walked seemed strange to her in the dark. In the day they were bright and inviting, filled with friendly faces and happy chatter, illuminated by more lights then she had been bothered to count, but at night those same halls twisted into something dark and foreboding. They were void of anyone, save Eirik who waited ahead of her, keeping his distance as he lead her though the halls, and the only light came from the eerily bright red glow of the exit signs. Shadows lurked around every corner and Anna found herself walking ever faster towards Eirik, if only to know that he was close.

It wasn’t long until Anna found herself standing in front of door with a frosted window with ‘Dr. Oaken’ worded on its front in blocked lettering. She looked around to see that the specter of Eirik was gone “you want me to see him?” she whispered as she reached up and grabbed the handle “Okay” she breathed and opened the door.

Oaken was leaning over his desk, a bottle was clenched tightly in his hand as sobs shook his body. Anna stepped into the door, closing the door behind her with a quiet click. This click drew Oaken’s attention to her and he looked up suddenly “Anna?” his voice was quiet, broken even. It hurt Anna to see him this way “What are you doing here?”

Anna wasn’t paying attention to him as the misty family was behind him once more. Eirik and the woman moved over to her, followed swiftly by the three children. She looked at Eirik, silently asking him what he wanted her to do. He smiled and placed one of his hands on the desk and motioned to the hand that Oaken was reaching out to Anna.

She nodded and took hold of Oaken’s hand and placed her other one on the desk. She didn’t know what she was expecting, but her expectations were far from what happened. The woman moved forward and placed a gentle hand over the one she had placed on the she had on the desk.

Anna gasped and her eyes rolled back, she felt like she had just been knocked in the chest and the wind knocked out of her, then she just felt peaceful. She didn’t even feel like she was holding herself up anymore. Oaken must have noticed because he called her name and tried to yank his hand free, but her grip was iron. “I’m fine” she tried to say, but it wasn’t her voice nor her words that left her mouth, but those of someone else, older and dead.

“Sigurd, Sigurd Oaken. Look at me” the woman’s voice came from Anna’s mouth and seemed strange, wrong.

Oaken’s eyes widened as the voice of his late wife left the girl he had been caring for. “Agnes” he whispered as he leaned more across the desk.

She felt herself smile, she felt like a puppet, and she spoke again “yes dear, it is me” she felt the hit to her chest again as Eirik took her hand “Hi dad” his voice scratched at her throat painfully.

“Eirik” Oaken choked the name out “My boy! Anna, what is going on?”

“Anna can’t talk right now, you needed her to say goodbye” her eyes were soft as she spoke Eirik’s words “It was fast, Dad, really fast. We saw the truck and then nothing. It didn’t even hurt” pain raced through Anna’s throat as the children grabbed her arms and tried speaking. But they had to order to them, no patience. In her sudden fear, spikes of ice arced out around her. They wanted a voice right then and there. Anna felt as if her throat was being torn apart as their words tumbling from her lips and a mixed up indistinct sound “Don’t be sad, Daddy!” they managed their three voices speaking as one “We’re okay!” and then they were gone, held back by their brother.

“My darlings!”

“We will always be with you, Sigurd” Agnes spoke through Anna again “Even though you can’t see us, or hear us, we will always be watching over you” she smiled sadly “We love you, Sigurd, dearest Sigurd we will always love you” and then they were gone, leaving Anna gasping for air as she swayed weakly on her feet.

“Bring them back” Oaken’s voice cut through the sudden silence as he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders “Anna bring them back to me!”

She was scared now and shook her head “I can’t” she tried to pull away “They’re gone, they departed and they’re gone” she pulled again “You’re hurting me” she whimpered, causing him to let her go.

“I miss then, Anna, I miss them so much” Oaken mumbled to her as she backed away.

As Oaken lay back over his desk to resume his sobbing, Anna backed out of the room hurrying back down the hall to her room, hoping that, as much as it had hurt, she had helped him.


	9. The Party

The sun was shining bright as the slink black car that held doctor Oaken and Anna pulled around to a large white house at the end of the cul-de-sac. The house stood slightly set off from its neighbours and had a little white picket fence and a lush garden. It was the epitome of an upper class suburban home.

Anna wrinkled her nose in the slightest distaste as she fiddled with the folds of her skirt. The last time she had been with other people her age, it hadn’t gone over to well. She shuddered at the memory that flashed to mind of a little boy, his arm turning black with frost bite. She leaned over to look at herself in the side mirror as a distraction. She had changed so much since then.

Her face had thinned out, having lost her baby fat, and the freckles that had once been just a gentle dusting across her nose, that she had hoped the diminish, now stood of from cheek bone to cheek bone across her face. Her hair had changed the most, she thought at least. Hair that had once been a bright fiery red, had settled down and dulled to a gentle strawberry blond that set kept tamed in braided pigtails. She smiled slightly, she was almost unrecognisable from the child she had been back then. That was a different Anna in a different time. This was a new Anna, she bit her lip lightly, and new Anna was nervous.

“Do I have to go?” she asked, her voice sound small, as she turned to look at Oaken.

The sight of his massive form in the too small car was almost enough to make her burst into a fit of laughter. Almost.

He smiled sweetly at her “You will be fine, little Anna” he parked the car and put a hand on her shoulder “This will be good for you, ja?” he nodded “Trust me.” He shook her shoulder “Now where is that smile I love, hmm? Aren’t you excited?”

Anna couldn’t help the smile that slowly crept across her face “I guess I am kind of excited” she had stopped fiddling with her dress “I mean, it’s just been so long since I was around people my age, not that you and Sven are old! It’s just, it’s going to be different, and new! I mean it like, for the first time in forever I can be just… me” she smiled more “Thank you Oaken… for letting me ramble to you”

Oaken just laughed and squeezed her shoulder “Oh!” He reached into the back and pulled out a small wrapped box “A gift for the birthday girl. A book of Norwegian Folklore, very good read.” He nodded when she took it “Now go on, don’t want the party starting without you”

Anna nodded and got out of the car, taking a moment to readjust her skirt, briefly admiring its emerald green colour in the sun, before closing the door. “I will pick you up at 5, have fun Anna” Oaken called as he drove off. Her smile faltered slightly as she looked down at the gift in her hands “Yeah, fun” with Oaken gone her nerves were returning. Not good. “You can do you Anna” she told herself as she walked to the door “It’s just a party” she walked slowly up the steps “this is chance to leave me lonely world” she breathed, and it had been lonely with her only friends being Sven and Elsa. She paused before the door and raised her hand to knock “You can do this, Anna, knock” her hand curled into a fist “Just knock. You know how to knock.” She took a deep steadying breath, and rapped five times on the door in a gentle tune.

The door opened to reveal a woman’s smiling face. “Anna, hi, glad you could make it” she said as she ushered Anna into the entry hall of the house. Anna blinked as she looked around and took note of what Mrs. White was wearing. She couldn’t help but feel like she had just walked into an ad from the 1950’s. The dress she wore was plain and very conservative and her black was curled, almost comically into two big loops on either side of her head. The house gave off the same vibe, everything a pristine white and polished wood.

“Snow!” she called in a singsong voice.

From the other room came a girl, about Anna’s age who, thankfully and a little to Anna’s surprise, was dressed more for their era. She had hair the same shade of black as her mothers, cut short with a natural but gentle curl, and dark eyes, her skin was so pale and fair it almost resembled snow “Yeah, mom?” she asked in a high voice before turning to Anna “Oh! You must be Anna” she smiled sweetly, to sweetly, Anna thought as she held out the present “Hi” she smiled back. “A present? You shouldn’t have” she took it from Anna and began to walk back into the room she had entered from “Come on, we’re all just hanging out in the living room” she smiled again “Small enough party, just some friends and a couple of boys from my class.”

“I’m heading out now” came her mother’s voice “You kids have fun” the front door clicked and she was gone.

“And she finally get the hint” came the voice of a girl who had herself sprawled out on the couch “No offence Snowy, but your mom is” she paused before drawing out her next words “Duuuuulllll”

Snow chuckled without humour and set her eyes to a glare on the brunette “Don’t remind me” her voice had lost the forced cheer it held when she spoke with her mother. “Anna, this is Belle, Meg, Adam and Erik” she pointed to each in their turn “Everyone, this is Anna” she tossed her gift lightly onto the table “She from unit 4 at the lab with my Duuuuulllll” she imitated the girl whom was called Meg “Mom” she shooed Meg over on the couch and flopped herself down.

“Unit 4?” the dark haired boy, Erik piped up. “Isn’t that the uh” he snapped his fingers as he thought “The paranormal department?”

“Ooooo” Adam, a beast of a boy to be sure, made a mock spooky noise “What do you do there, talk to ghosts? Track down ghouls?” he laughed, but Anna just shook her head muttering no. If only they knew.

Snow clapped her hands “Right, let’s make this a proper party! Adam, get the beer, Erik curtains, girls get the lights” she turned to Anna “Anna, music” she clapped again and the group of early teens scattered across the living room setting about their tasks.

Anna moved over to a large stereo system that was set against the far wall and began flicking through the collection of cds that were set on a shelf. What did you play at a party? She bit her lip as she pulled out a cd with a selection of pop songs and put it in. The first song had just started playing when Meg loomed over her “Really, Freckles? No go” she pushed her gently to the side “Let’s play something fresh” she said before changing the disc with one of techno beats “Now that, is party music” she clapped Anna on the shoulder and sauntered back over to the couch as Adam came in from the back door, a case of beer hoisted over his shoulder.

The other girl, Belle, smiled up at him “Where’d you get it?”

The boy shrugged as he placed the box on the table “My dad drinks to much to notice when a few go missing” he grinned proudly “I’ve been collecting these for weeks. Hid them under my bed, my ‘rents never check my room anymore” he opened the box and began passing them out, pausing when he got to Anna “Anna, want one?” he tilted his head in an almost challenging way.

Everything in her mind was screaming no, that this was a bad idea, she shouldn’t be here. Or maybe that was Elsa? She couldn’t tell so she just pushed the voice aside “Yeah, of course, why wouldn’t I?” she said as she took the can, earning a satisfied nod from Erik. She cracked it open and chugged it back, spluttering as she nearing choked on the amber liquid drawing a round of laughter from the group who were all drinking as if it were water.

“First time, eh Freckles?” teased Meg as she laughed.

“No.” she defended “I’ve drank before”

“Sure, sure” Snow grinned before getting up to go and dance.

As the others went about their party going, Anna excused herself into the front hall once more and leaned against the wall. She felt frost prickle across her arm and she sighed “I know, Elsa I know” she stared up at the ceiling “I just wanted to know what it was like to leave the lab. I was so excited” she murmured “but from all the books and the movies I wasn’t expecting this” she took a deep breath “But we can get through this Elsa, I know we can. We can be…. Okay I can be normal, or at least pretend to be” with her resolve rebuilt, Anna returned to the living room.

Normal, what did normal people do? She had seen Snow and the girls dancing, was that normal? Anna liked dancing. She smiled as she walked to the middle of the room and joined there dance. She danced until her breath was short and then she sat down.

“Hi” came a voice to her right, startling her.

Anna looked over and saw that Erik had taken up the seat next to her. She took a moment to look him over closer. He was kind of cute, she had to admit that, with his dark hair swept around his eyes “Hi? Hi me?” none of the others had really tried to talk to her so when she finally registered that he was talking to her mind slowly “Um, hi”

Erik smiled at that, he had a fantastic smile “I’m Erik” he looked her over “You don’t go to our school do you? I mean I don’t recognise you”

A conversation! That was something that Anna could do “Yeah, I mean no I don’t” she cleared her throat “I have a private tutor, specialized classes” she shrugged “I dint get to spend a whole lot of time with people my own age, so I’m sorry if this ends up being awkward” she looked at him suddenly “Not you you’re awkward! Cause just we’re” she paused a moment to try to rein in her thoughts “I’m awkward, you’re gorgeous! Wait what?” and failed, Anna buried her face in her hands to hide her embarrassment.

Erik just laughed and patted her shoulder “How about I lead and you follow?” he smiled when she looked up “So you work with Snows mom the lab?”

Anna nodded “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I do-“ she bit her lip. What should she say? She couldn’t tell him that she was the subject of study do to the fact that she was attached to a strange ice casting spirit. She thought back to when Sven had made her clean the lab top to bottom after Elsa had accidentally shattered a bowl of dyed water in a test “Cleaning. I clean up the labs. Mrs. White thought that I should get out more and, well here I am, getting out”

“I moved here from Denmark a few years back, what about you? Where are you from?”

“The base, born and raised” Anna replied with a shrug “My Mother was very…. Driven”

“I row, like boating, in my spare time, I want to compete when I can. What about you? What do you do for fun?”

“Seriously? I um… I read, a lot, and I’m learning guitar. Dancing… I really like dancing” she smiled softly “My fun is limited to the base so…. Yeah”

He leaned closer and lowered his voice “Can I ask you something?”

Anna smiled “Sure?”

“Why are you in Unit 4?”

In an instant the temperature of the room dropped, not drastically, but enough to be noticed. Elsa did not want that question answered, did not want them exposed, and Anna, for once, and found herself agreeing with her. She sat up straight, her gaze trained forward and in a calm, even, practiced voice she replied “I clean the labs, my tutor thought it would be good for me, that is all”

Erik held up his hands defensively “Alright, alright. I didn’t mean any offence, Anna” the music changed and he cleared his throat, flashing her another winning smile “A slow dance. You said she liked dancing Anna” she stood and took her hand, pulling her to her feet “Come on” he pulled her close and wrapped his arms around her waist as her hands found a place on his shoulder. They moved slowly to the rhythm, rocking back and forth. “You know, Anna, there is some special about you, something different” he leaned his face closer to hers “I like different”

Before Anna could even think to reply, she felt his lips gently brush against her own. Her eyes widened slightly, her first kiss. She leaned up into it and he held her tighter. It was the gentle, innocent kiss that broke, at least for Anna, to soon, but the song was over and the moment had passed. Erik stepped back and Anna looked up at him with a small slightly dopey smile.

“Hey Anna” came Belles voice as she flicked off the music and leaned against Adam “I heard from Snow, who heard from her mom, that you have some crazy super powers” she grinned lazily “Care you give us a demonstration?” Adam scoffed “Fat load of BS I say”

They circled around her and Anna curled in on herself slightly, cupping her hands close to herself “Super powers?” she forced a laugh “You guy read to many comics” she laughed again “That’s silly. Impossible” she turned her gaze subtly to Snow “A fat load of BS” she shared a glare with Snow before they both forced back their cheer.

“Alright guys! Let’s dig into that cake before it gets stale and open my presents!” she cheered and hurried to the couch followed by everyone else. Her eyes scanned over the small pile before selecting one wrapped in deep purple paper. “I wonder who this is from” she smiled at Meg as she opened it and removing the lacy garment from its box “A thong, Meg?” she grinned and put it back “Thank you, and my future lovers pass on their thanks as well” the pair shared a laugh before she picked up Anna’s gift. She unwrapped in slowly and the smile fell from her face.

Belle, however, looked rather interested “Is that-“

“An old book” Snow finished.

“It’s um, a collection of Norwegian folklore, it’s a very good read” Anna quoted what Oaken had told her in the car.

Adam laughed “what’d you do, steal it from your grandpa?” drawing laughter from everyone except Anna and Snow.

“Are you serious? You came all the way here, to my party, and give me this crap?” Snow snapped.

“And she thinks she so clever” Meg chimed in.

“When she’s just a little guinea pig. A Rodent. Lab rat” Belle drawled.

“A freak of one at that” Meg added.

Erik was on his feet and Anna thought, for a brief moment, that he was coming to her rescue, but she was wrong “She has been hanging around me like a sick chill all evening.” He practically snarled in her face “begging me for it. I have Ariel, I don’t need some freaky slut, and what kind of a man does she think I am?” he snapped.

“My mom made me invite her. Out of pity” Snow snapped “Like a dog in the pound in its last days” she grinner cruelly.

They circled around her like vulture closing in on road kill “Stay back” Anna’s voice was quiet, filled with fear. _Conceal don’t feel_. She thought to herself, she could feel the room getting colder as Elsa’s fear grew with hers. _Control it Elsa_. Snow was reaching for her, a disgusting sneer on her face. “I said stay back!” Anna snapped, a blast of cold air erupted from around her, forcing her four tormentors back. She looked down to see ice on the ground and has frozen over the feet of Meg and Belle. Anna turned in a slow circle, taking in their panic stricken faces.

“Monster!” Adam snapped as he flung one of the fold up chairs at her.

Anna raised her hands swiftly to defend herself and felt ice in blood as a wall of ice shot up from the floor, deflecting the chair and slid across the floor towards the boy, pinning him to the wall with a pained cry. Instinct takes over as Elsa used her as a conduit, channeling her ice through Anna’s body like a lightly rod. The crunch of snow alerted her to Erik and she spun to meet him head on. The strawberry blond swung her arm in a graceful arc and two spears of ice shot at him, pinning him under the arms by his shirt to the wall. The living room was a storm and Anna was the eye. Elsa had flooded her with her power to the brim and it spilled forth beyond either of their control.

When the storm died, Anna collapsed to her knees in exhaustion. Lines of frost were etched across with skin and her fingertips had gone blue. She looked down at her shaking hands before turned her gaze to the destruction around them “Elsa, what did you do!?” she hissed. It had been all Elsa could so to guides the shard and spikes of ice away from the teens as the room now looked like the inside of an icy iron maiden. Her gaze fell to Meg and she leapt to her feet. The girl was slipping and sliding on the ice clutching at her arm which was frozen almost to the shoulder. With sure feet, Anna fled from the house, never once slipping on the ice.

As she left the house Mrs. White was pulling up with Oaken close behind her “Anna? Where’s Snow?” she asked before she saw the spikes of ice leaking out of the door “Oh God! Snow!” she screamed as she rushed inside. An ear piercing scream echoed from the house as she entered the living room “It was Anna! She’s a witch! A demon!” “MONSTER!”

The last word bounced around her mind as she clutched her hands close to her chest.

Suddenly Oaken’s arm was around her, leading her away “Come on, Anna” helping her into the car and buckling her in “Let’s get you home” he got in next to her and sped away from the now frigid cul-de-sac.


	10. Like Other Girls

Anna leaned against the window of her living room, gazing at dreamily at the afternoon sky. She hadn’t left the lab complex proper since the birthday incident three years prior, and as a sixteen year old girl she was growing restless.

Oaken and Sven had granted her every whim to try and keep her happy. Music and dance lessons, brought her more movies, books and games then she could count, even allowed her to roam the massive courtyard that was set in the center of the complex so that she could get at least some sun and fresh air. But they wouldn’t allow her to do the one thing she wanted, to leave the lab and go out and for one day, just one day, pretend that she was normal.

She had returned from her classes only a short while ago and had changed out of her uniform into her more comfortably clothing, a short skirt with legging underneath and a slim fitting tank top. A few of the girl in her class, friends of hers, had been making plans to go out to one of the off base bars and they had invited her along. She had been so excited about the concept of going out that she had nearly forgotten what going out would entail, getting permission from Oaken. Oaken, the man who had shot down her every request to leave. Of sure, she knew that he was just trying to protect her, but it was nothing short of aggravating. Then again, Anna was nothing short of persistent.

A gentle rapping on her door drew her attention from her dreaming “Come in” she called.

Oaken walked into her room and gave her a once over before speaking “How was class?” his voice sounded guarded, like her knew what was coming.

“Oh it was fine, Oaken” she turned and smiled brightly at him “You know same old, same old. Numbers and writing. History” she tapped her fingers together and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear “weekend plans, its Friday you know”

Oaken’s body became as guarded as his voice “Yes, I am aware that it is Friday”

Anna nodded “Yes of course you know its Friday, why wouldn’t you know it Friday. I mean it’s the day after Thursday, and that was yesterday and I was in classes today, so can’t be Saturday” she paused a moment, not even taking a breath before continuing “And you’re a doctor, so you’re smart so of course you know that day of the week and-“

“Anna” Oaken’s voice broke through her rant.

“Sorry” she muttered as she drew her hands close to her chest, steeling her herself “So, some of the girl were talking about heading to this little place they heard of off base, not too far off, but off” she nodded to herself, looking up at Oaken “and see they asked me if I wanted to go, and I said that I would love to, because I really, really, would, and they said awesome and so here I am. Asking you.” She blinked realizing that she had forgot to add “If I can go, I mean, asking if I can go, with them.” Another pause “Please?”

The blond man ran a hand through his hair as he looked down at her. “Oh Anna” he muttered.

She took another step closer “I know that you are just trying to protect me, Oaken. Believe me, I know that people wouldn’t understand what Elsa can do, what I can do, I know! But it’s just for one night, and I’ve been getting better. Elsa has more control and so do I. We can handle this Oaken.” Anna’s eyes turned pleading “I just want this one chance. This one chance to get away from all this. To pretend that I am normal, or some next to it. I just the chance to go out and be like other girls”

Oaken’s face softened “Me to, Little Anna, me to” he told her. The redheads face lit up with hope but that hope was shattered as the doctors face became stern “But you can’t, Anna”

Anna took a step back, and then another “But why can’t I, Oaken? I can hide it well enough to go to class now, so why can’t I go out? Why can’t I try to be normal!?” her voice was rising in pitch as she spoke. Her control slipped slightly and ice spread out around her feet.

She may not have noticed but Oaken did “Because there is no point in pretending if you clearly are not like other girls! You are different, Elsa is a liability to your safety and that of others and I will not put lives at risk again!” he snapped.

The girl recoiled from the tone of his voice. Oaken had never raised his voice to her before, and it had startled her. They glared at each other, anger and tension building “I can’t live like this Oaken!” she snapped right back “This you and this place are suffocating me!” she was shaking “And I’m sixteen, Oaken, almost an adult. You can’t keep me here forever!”

Before she could go on more the massive mountain of a man drew himself up taller and cut her off “Maybe not forever, Anna, but I can for tonight, and the weekend, the month if I decide. You are grounded, Little Anna” he almost growled the words, he knew he was being harsh but he couldn’t go back now.

“What” Anna mouthed the word “Oaken no-“

“You are forbidden from leaving this room during your free time for a week” he seethed “And I think it would be best to pull you from the class, you will return to your private tutelage until further notice.” he huffed and turned to leave “Sven will be watching over your apartment to ensure that you don’t leave. Good night, Anna”

“You are worse than my Mother!” Anna yelled at his back as the door clicked shut and was locked.

Ice was spreading slowly about the room and Anna curled in on herself, trying to calm herself down. “It’s okay, Elsa. We’re okay. I’m sorry that I got so angry” the ice began to recede and Anna sat on the floor to think. She scoffed “He forbade us from leaving.” she grinned and flopped onto her back. “Sveeeeeeeeeen” she whined. Silence “I know you’re there Sven”

Sven’s heavy sigh issued from the speakers “Yes, Snowflake?”

She twirled her finger from the damp carpet “You wouldn’t want to, oh I don’t know, let me out and look the other way and let me go out with my friends, would you?”

The man in the observing room laughed, she could tell he was shaking his head “No cn do, sorry Snowflake, Oaken would have my hide if I let you out”

It was her turn to sigh “It was worth a shot, right Sven?” he didn’t reply.

 

She didn’t know how long Anna lay there on the floor of the living room, moping and lamenting over her lost night out. Elsa hated seeing her host like this, it was so unlike her usual excited (almost hyperactive) self. She had to do something.

Slowly, so as to not draw Anna’s full attention, she began to drift away to the wall that separated the apartment from the observation room.

She moved slowly around the room trying to come up with a plan. She could open the door, but Sven would just stop her. She paused in her thoughts, but if Sven opened the door, then no one could say anything.

Elsa circled around Sven, slowly lowering the temperature around only him. He was shivering something fierce, but it wasn’t enough. He began to struggle to breath against the cold until the lack of oxygen caused him to pass out, his forehead smacking hard against the keyboard.

Step one, complete, but how was she going to get him to open the door? She moved past his arm and took note of the thin layer of ice that grew over his skin. Ice, she mused, was hers to control, so maybe-

She spread her ice over him and watched as it grew over his body. Once his arms, legs, and bits of his face and back were frozen it was time for the hard part. Summoning all of her control and focusing solely on the man before her, she made him stand and walk towards the door. This could work, this would work.

 

Anna scurried to her feet when she heard the door open and Sven poked his head in. “Sven?” she whispered as she moved closer, the man shook his head. Something looked different, off. His skin had an unnatural shine to it, almost as if he was covered in-

“Elsa?” her voice was louder, more sure. Sven nodded and Anna hurried to the door “Elsa, what are you doing!?” she hissed, but Sven merely pointed to the door and motioned for the redhead to follow.

Anna frowned as she followed “Still no voice, Elsa?” Sven shook his head “I see”

They walked in a comfortable silence as they navigated their way through the complex network of hallways that lead to the main lobby. Anna stayed close to Sven, staying just a step behind him, a small smile on her face.  Elsa was walking. Sure maybe not with a body of her own, but Anna was happy for her all the same.

The main doors were just coming into view and Anna made to rush forward only to be blocked by Sven’s outstretched arm. She tilted her head “Elsa? What’s up?” she whispered as she peered over his arm to look at where he was pointing.

Sitting at the desk that sat off to the side of the lobby, was the night watchman. He had been leaning back lazily in his chair but quickly got to his feet when he spotted the pair in the shadows of the hall “Oi!” he called as he got up to move over to them, fumbling to find the torch that hung from his belt “Who’s that slinking around there?” The beam of the torch cut through the shadows and fell upon Sven and Anna. “Sven?” the guard squinted “And little Miss Anna, too?” he was doubly confused now. “What are the pair of you doing about at this hour?” he aimed his question at Sven, waiting for a reply.

Anna’s eyes widened as she looked from the guard to Sven then back to the guard. She bit her lip as she thought. She had to think of a lie, and fast. “Sven was, taking me to get some fresh air!” She blurted out, mentally praising herself. “Why couldn’t you two have just gone to the courtyard?” the guard replied. Damn it, stupid courtyard, Anna thought as she began racking her brain for a new excuse. “The doors were locked, so we just thought, we being Sven and myself, decided to just go to the parking lot, sit on the curb” she leaned back and moved her hands in front of her, one hand over the other “just chill out and be cool, you know?” even without a voice of her own, Anna knew that Elsa was groaning as her terrible puns.

The guard blinked and look at Anna curiously before laughing loudly, a deep belly rocking laugh “Kids today, eh Sven?” The silence was thick as the guard waited for the frosted man to reply. After a long while Sven nodded and made a small noncommittal grunt. The guard laughed laughed more and clapped Sven on the shoulder “Whoa there Sven. I’ve heard of getting the cold shoulder but, yours is freezing, are you okay?”

Anna grabbed the taller man’s arm and began pulling him to the door before Elsa helped and made him walk “He’s just a little chilled” she answered for him, understatement of the year, “the labs are cold” They had reached the doors. She waved awkwardly “Um, bye” and then the two hurried out the door without giving the guard a second glance.

They were half way to Sven’s car before Anna spoke again “You made a sound, I mean it was far from a speaking but, Elsa you made a sound, that’s great!” she paused “How DID you make a sound?” Sven pointed to his throat and grunted again “You froze his vocal cords?” she translated and Sven nodded “Is that safe?” Sven shrugged “Will he be all right?” he nodded “Are you sure?” he nodded more vigorously and by then they had reached the car and the reality of the situation was sinking in for Anna.

“We snuck out” she squealed as she hopped on the spot and shook Sven’s arm “We snuck out and now were going out!” while Anna celebrated, Elsa had Sven fish out his keys and popped the trunk and motioned for Anna to get in. “You want me to hide in the trunk!? Why, why would I do that!?” Sven motioned to the camera and Anna sighed “that’s right, we’re still sneaking out” and grumbled as she climbed into the trunk. The trunk was closed and all was dark “You do know how to drive, right Elsa?” the car started “Elsa you know how to drive, right!”

But Elsa couldn’t answer, and the car was already moving.

“ELSA!”

As it turned out Elsa could drive, and very well for that matter.

“Were did you learn to drive?” Anna asked once she was free of the trunk. She glanced at Sven and shook her head “You know what, I don’t want to know”

She turned slowly and took in her surroundings. They had pulled over at the outskirts of a forest and Anna could see the lights of the bar just down the road, they could walk the rest of the way “Elsa, walk Sven into the woods a little ways and defrost him, try to warm him up as much as you can, we don’t want him getting sick.” The man nodded and started on his walk into the treeline.

When she felt the chill of Elsa’s presence return, Anna smiled “Good work getting us out of there, Elsa. It really means a lot to me” She stood tall and started walking “Let’s go, the girls are probably waiting for us”

The bar wasn’t quite as nice as the girls had made it out to be and if Anna was honest, it was in reality a dump. The plaited stained glass windows were barred and dirty to the point where the reds and greens barely showed through and the neon sign that hung above the door flicked and sparked out as she entered. The inside was no better than the outside. Chipped wood panelled walls and a dusty wood floor greeted her sight as she made her way inside.

The bartender stood behind the bar eyeing the girl as she walked in and moved to a seat in the far corner. They were the only two there. “The others must be running late” she mumbled as she took her seat.

“I’D.?” came a rouge accented voice, startling Anna.

“Excuse me?” she blinked up at the man.

“How old are you, girl? You have I.D.?”

“No, I’m just waiting for some friends” she explained quietly “No drinking for me” the man raised an eyebrow and pointed to the door “Fine, all I want is a virgin mudslide”

That caused the bartender to snort a laugh “You want chocolate milk, girl?”

Anna scowled “I’ll pay you for the drink, is that a problem?”

“Feisty, fine. Virgin mudslide coming up”

Anna sipped at her drink absently while she waited, the door clattered open and her head shot up, hoping to see her friends only to see a short man hurry in, holding the door for a much larger man.

“Ah, Gaston!” the barkeep called “Good to see you again” he turned his gaze to the shorter man “Le Fou. What can I get you gentlemen?”

“The usual” came Le Fou’s nasally voice as he set a stool near the pool table and climbed onto it, fumbling to catch the cue that Gaston had tossed to him. Beers were passed around and then the attention of the man named Gaston turned to Anna.

“Hey there, Little Lady. How about a game?” Anna shook her head. “No one says no to my buddy Gaston, right?” Le Fou replied, only to be roughly shoved off his stool “Don’t mind my friend, he’s a fool, a joker really. Come on, a friendly game?”

Slowly Anna stood. She was scared, she felt as if she should just abandon the whole night and leave right then and there, but then her sneaking out and getting hell from Oaken later would all be for nothing. So against her better judgment she approached the table and the strange men “Alright, just one game”

Anna went first and after a few shot, learned that she was quite good at pool.

“How old are you?” Gaston leaned on his cue as he watched her.

“I don’t see how that is your business” Anna shot back.

Another ball in the hole.

“Do your parent know that you’re way out here?”

She didn’t like where this was going, so she lied “Of course they do. My dad, he dropped me off. He’ll be back soon” she nodded “Soon”

Anna leaned over to take another shot when she felt his hand brush over her hip. He was close, to close. The stench of the musk he was wearing flooded her nose. She slapped his hand away and spun around “Back off!” she snapped, hoping that her attempt to project an air of authority was not crushed by her mounting fear.

“Come on, Jolie Dame, you know you want-“

Her hand moved without a second thought and struck home across his chin leaving an angry red mark.

There was a pause, a brief flicker across his angular face before the suave look he wore was replaced with one of rage. With a roar, he gripped Anna’s arms tight enough to leave bruises and tossed her onto her back on the table. He moved to grab her leg while Le Fou moved to help his friend and grab her arms and stop her from thrashing about.

An icy wind wiped wickedly around the bar, knocking the two men off balance and away from Anna who curled up on the table.

“Who’s there!?” Gaston Shouted as he whipped about trying to find who or what had knocked him. Ice began to swirl out in cruel spiral from where Anna lay crying. Le Fou hide behind Gaston as the pair back up towards the door, accompanied by the barkeep. “The hell is going on, D’Arque!?” Gaston shouted over the snapping and cracking of ice that was covering the bar. Their breath plumed out before them as the temperature began to plummet.

* * *

_Never before had Elsa been as enraged as she was then. She was anger and hatred and vengeance in the form of a storm. Her ice grew in jagged spikes, cornering the men by the door. She was blinded and the storm in that was growing in the bar just grew and grew. Snow drifted against the walls and the wind howled like a beast. They would pay for trying to harm her host, her Anna._

_She turned her attention to the fool, Le Fou. A fool he was and a fool he would die. Elsa focused the cold on him and began to rapidly suck the heat from his small body. He was shivering like mad and when he fell to his knees, Gaston turned to him. He tried to call out, to ask if his friend was alright but the wind stole his voice and the life of the man on the ground._

_The fool was dead, but the storm did not lesson. The by standing barkeep was next to feel her wrath. He screamed a most unbecoming scream as ice began to crawl up his body, freezing him into an ice sculpture._

_Gaston was frantically pulling at the handles of the doors that had long since frozen over. His friends were dead, that much he knew, but she was going to get out, he was going to-_

_His thoughts were silenced as needles of ice shot from the floor and pierced right through his body, pinning him to the door._

_With Gaston dead, Elsa began to calm down. The ice stopped spreading, the wind stopped howling, and the sound of Anna’s crying finally fully reached her. Fear gripped her momentarily once she realized what she had done, but it had been for Anna. For the girl who still needed her. She moved from the horror she had caused and back to Anna and not for the first time wished that she could hold the girl._

_All she could do was cover her in a comforting blanket of snow, and wait for the help that they both hoped would be coming._

* * *

Anna didn’t know how long she was lying there beneath the blanket of snow as she cried, and she barely noticed the sound of the doors being forced open, nor the heavy footsteps of Oaken, Sven and the two officers that came with them.

“Anna!” Oaken’s voice, ripe with fear, ripped through her teary haze and brought her back down. His arms were around her faster then she could blink and he held her close “Oh Anna! Thank the Gods you are alright!”

“I just didn’t want to be alone” she sobbed into his chest “I just wanted to go out”

The bar was silent save for the sound of Anna’s muffled sobs and Oaken’s voice calmly telling her over and over “You’re safe, Little Anna, we’re here now. You’re safe.”


	11. The Condenser

The apartment is dark and silent, save for the rhythmic sounds of Anna’s breathing. The digital alarm clock on her bedside table glowed dimly in the blackness, dutifully telling the time, a quarter past twelve.

At the very edge of consciousness, Anna heard her door open and hurried footsteps. She forced the sounds away in an effort to sink back to sleep, put all thoughts of sleep were shattered when Oaken’s hand grabbed her shoulder and shook her frantically, ripping her fully from the land of dreams. “Anna!” his voice was urgent “Anna you need to wake up, now”

Slowly the red head sat up, blinking up at the man with bleary eyes and yawned “Oaken? Whaz up?” she yawned as she took in his expression. He looked worried, and tense.

“There has been an incident at the lab, downtown” he explained slowly “It has gone critical. We need to go.”

The off base lab was operated by the more commercial branch of the program, all privately funded, all about fast results damned be the consequences. Anna didn’t know what is was they had been doing there, but if an incident was trouble enough that they needed her, it had to be bad. All thoughts of sleep were suddenly banished from her mind and she hurried out of bed. Oaken was already halfway out the door by the time her feet touched the floor. She dressed as quick as she could and ran a brush through her hair to tame the tangled mass of bedhead before wrestling the still unruly locks of hair into a ponytail and hurrying after the blond man to get to his car.

* * *

“Westergard Corp. has been funding a new research program” Oaken began to explain as they flew down the interstate “A study really. The team downtown has been looking into what they call the “Infraworld”. The other side, Anna” he glanced over at her as he continued “They had a break through, they build a condenser, it can create portals, or more so, doorways to the other side”

Anna’s gaze turned to one of horror, she had seen firsthand what could lurk behind such a doorway “They” she gulped and turned to stare ahead “They open one of these doorways?” she looked at the giant man out of the corner of her eye “Into Elsa’s world? Why? Why would they-“ she paused “Why would anyone do that?”

“The incident occurred sometime last night” Oaken went on, making a point to ignore her questions, there were things at work that Anna had no need to know of “A malfunction in the program. Entities began to flood through the doorway and we couldn’t close it in time. No one made it out alive, two rescue teams have gone in, but that was hours ago.” He was looking more and more distraught as he further explained “They want your help, Anna, I told them that is was far too dangerous nut they were insistent” he took a breath “but you are the only one who knows how to deal with what lies beyond” he finished as they slowed and pulled up to the round-about entryway of the lab.

The flashing lights of the myriad of emergency vehicles were nearly enough the blind Anna as she and Oaken hurried from the car. She had been on the scene for less than a minute and already she could tell that it was utter chaos. Gurnee’s were being wheeled past, officers were trying to keep the crowd of curious citizens at bay while fire fighters were doing what they little they could to quench the flames that licked through the outside of the building.

Frost sparked from her fingers and she rubbed her hands together “it’s okay, Elsa” she mumbled before hugging her arms and looking to the man who walked beside her “What am I doing here, Oaken? What do they need me for?” she asked. He had been quiet in the car, telling her nothing except that she was the only one who could help.

Oaken pulled Anna away from the crowd and spoke to her in a hurried whisper “Anna, if you don’t want to do this, tell me. Tell me right now and I swear I will take you home” he searched Anna’s face hoping against hope that she would set aside what sense of duty was surly settling over her mind, hoping that she would cling to him and beg to be taken home where it was safe, but that didn’t happen.

“I’ll do it” she whispered, turning away from his to see Sven forcing his way through the crowd of on lookers and officers, flashing his lab I.D. badge to anyone who dared try to turn him away.

“Oaken!” Sven snapped “What the hell is she doing here? It’s too dangerous!”

“Don’t you think I know that Sven, but she is the only one that can do it!”

The rest of her caretaker’s argument was soon faded as Anna walked past them, making her way purposely towards the door. Get in, get out, and be home in time for tea. She didn’t know why she was thinking of tea, she hated tea, Elsa always told her that tea was calming and that she should drink more of it since she herself could not but Anna never listened. “Great, even in my thoughts I ramble” she grumbled as she stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

An arms stretched out before her, stopping her from entering the building, Oaken had caught up to her. “They would only tell me that you need to find the control room, in the lower basement” he began, suddenly he looked more nervous then she had ever seen the man look before “Listen, Little Anna” he slipped back to her pet name “They are not like Elsa, the Entities from the doorway. They come from the dark depths of the Infraworld, we know next to nothing about them”

Anna stared hard at him “I have been living with Elsa since the day I was born, I still know nothing about her. I get it” she said as she ducked under his arm and took a step into the building “I’ll be fine, Oaken” with that, Anna walked slowly through the ruined foyer and vanished from view.

Anna very nearly almost threw up when she saw the first body, all charred and broken. The same with the second and for the third as well. By the fifth she had grown used to the sight and she had made great timing, already making it to the set of elevators that were situated in the center of the building. The door to one looked like it had been blasted open and so that left her with but one choice. She looked to the dimly lit panel, scanning it for the floor she needed. With a tilt of her head, she pressed the button, and nothing happened. She scowled and pressed it again, and again and still nothing happened. Giving up on the buttons, Anna punched the door in a hit, sending a small scattering of ice across its surface. “Something blocking it!” she growled as she proceeded to pound against the door, angered by the all too soon halt in her quest.

“Elsa” she muttered as she rested her forehead against the door after she had calmed down. With a heavy sigh she rapped upon the door with a knuckle “Could you check it out?”

* * *

_The elevator shaft was dark and the air still and humid, but that didn’t bother Elsa as she ventured down and into the car that rested below. The door opened and closed at a steady rhythm as it beat against a forgotten briefcase. Probably abandoned by some white coat scientist, said scientist was more than likely dead. Set upon by the entities that had infested this place. She prickled angrily at the thought but suppressed it when she noticed her ice filling the elevator. Anna needed to get down, the lift had to be in one piece for her to do that._

_She focused hard and coated the briefcase in a thick layer of ice and forced it out of the way and the door slide cleanly shut._

_One problem down, but how many more would they have to face to please the doctor Oaken._

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

* * *

Anna held a hand to her heart when she felt Elsa settle, and allowed herself a smile when the door open and she gets on.

The open opens once more and Anna gasps at the sight she was greeted with and ice shoots out from her feet. Fire. She gulped and hurried out, stumbling and falling with a light squeal as a hand grabbed her ankle tightly.

A older man with shattered glasses and a broken body “Get out!” he croaked as Anna wrestled her leg free and scrambled to her feet, gasping for air “Go back! Run!” he spluttered before falling still.

Once she was stable, Anna hurried out through the door and down the hall into what seemed to be a storage room. More bodies. So many bodies.

Her way was blocked, rubble blocked the only other door which left. She looked up slowly towards the vents and frost sparked from her fingers “I know you don’t like tight spaces” she shuddered “I don’t either, but we have to.” She whispered as she hauled herself up into the vent and set off towards the next room.

She dropped down into a shadowed room and squinted as she peered about.

It was smoky and dark and she could feel, something. She wasn’t quite sure what, until it hit her.

An Entity Launched out from behind an overturned desk and struck her, sending her back into a wall of glass.

Elsa came to her defence almost instantly and began to lash out with her ice while Anna regained her footing. The ice had spread rapidly and yet she kept her footing as if it wasn’t there at all. The perks of hosting a being of ice and snow. She had to get them out. Elsa was fighting, and it was her job to get them out. She glanced around quickly before she spotted a chair.

With a yell, Anna picked it up and bashed it against the glass once, twice, three times and it shattered apart and Anna went tumbling through and landed in a pile of shattered glass. She lay there for a while, she didn’t know how long, until she felt Elsa move around her. “I’m okay” she mumbled as she slowly got to her feet “I’m okay Elsa” she smiled softly and looked around “Are you okay, Elsa?” a pause and she nodded “Good, let’s keep going”

It wasn’t long before they ran into yet another setback, fire blocked their path. Anna sighed “Elsa, can you deal with this?” ice grew and melted over the fire rapidly before it was finally extinguished “Thanks” and she hurried on.

Death and fire, fire and death. That was all that greeted Anna.

“Ah! Finally a room with a little less smoke!” she cheered as she slid down a wall to sit “and light” she sighed. A groan caught her attention and she leapt to her feet “Who’s there?” she asked.

“Get out!” came an old voice as a man stood “Go back, and run!” he was shaking.

She laughed dryly “You know, you’re the second white coat to say that to me today.” She drawled “I know I might not look like much, but I do know what I’m doing here” she tilted her head “Are you all right?”

The man had stilled suddenly, only his hands twitched and only slightly. He turned to look at her, his eyes white and began to move swiftly towards her.

“Right, I should have listened and run.” Anna stammered as she dropped to the ground to dodge the wild swing man. She felt it then, the Entity. “I’m sorry.” She whispered as she held her hand out and squeezed her eyes shut “Go, Elsa!” She felt ice ripple through her veins and spike out through her fingers and through the man “I’m so sorry” the ice melted and the man fell to the ground dead.

Panting, Anna scrambled from the room. It was too much. All of this was just too much. She wanted to stop, to turn around and run, flee back to her apartment. But she knew she couldn’t, she had to do this.

No sooner had they started down the hall, then they were set upon by entities. She ran as fast as she could, but it wasn’t enough. “Elsa, help me” she cried and ice coated the floor all the way to the door. Anna jumped into a slide, and had to repress the small giggle of joy despite her imamate danger, before hitting the door. She fumbled and ripped it open, tumbling into the room, the door slamming behind her.

The room was frozen over, the heating systems having failed and the temperature plummeted. A few frozen corpses littered the ground and she did her best to avoid them as she made her way to the opposite door. She twisted the handle, pulled the door, and kicked the door but nothing would make the door open. She gritted her teeth as she gazed around, her face softening “A key card?” she muttered as she began to inch her way towards the nearest corpse “yes, a key card” she knelt and slowly unclipped it from the dead man’s pocket, flinching as he moved.

She scrambled to the door, almost dropping the card in her mad dash to get the door open.

Closing the door, she turned to find herself exactly where she wanted to be for once. She was in the control room. The main wall was dominated by a large glass window that Anna approached slowly. She could see it, the portal and the Entities that still flowed through it. A massive ball of fiery and shadows that looked similar to an image of a black hole that she had once seen in a textbook. Just below the window was a table of switched and buttons, the main control panel. In the middle of the panel was the master switch. “Well, that was simple” she nodded as she pulled the pulled the switch and waited. Nothing happened. No changes at all. Frustrated, Anna slammed her hands on the panel, freezing it solid “Why can’t at least ONE thing go right for me” she whispered “This was supposed to work.”

She felt Elsa tug at her gaze and looked up and back towards the portal, eyes widening. She hadn’t noticed it before due to the dominating presence of the portal itself, but now that Elsa was guiding her gaze she saw it, a booth. The secondary control panel. “Okay, okay we’ll be okay Elsa” Anna walked to the door that lead out to the massive room that housed the portal “One last run, and then we’re done. Then we can go home for chocolate and relax on the couch. We’ve earned it.” An Entity slammed into the door, causing Anna to jump back “You just watch over me, and keep them off me, make sure I get there in one piece” She took a deep breath and threw open the door, dashing onto the walk way.

* * *

_Elsa kept pace with Anna, bolts of ice shot in all direction, freezing the Entites where they flew. She was surprised, it was going well and she was keeping them a good distance away. This was working, they were going to make it. Almost there, just one more ladder and they would be on the last walk way, the home stretch. “Elsa!” her attention was pulled back to Anna in time to see an Entity latching onto her leg and pulling her down the ladder. No! They wouldn’t take her Anna from her! A latched onto the Entity and froze it solid, crushing it into a powder and freeing her Host. Go Anna, go!_

* * *

Anna scrambled up the rest of the ladder and collapsed to her knees to catch her breath. Her leg was bleeding and she saw stars when she tried to stand fully on it. She clutched at her leg and hobbled as fast as she could across the walkway. Entities rushed towards her and she dodged the ones that weren’t blasted by the ice. She jumped as part of the walkway fell from beneath her and slowly crawled back up. The booth was just in front of her now. All she had to do was enter.

She slid the door shut as she stood. She was directly above the portal now, she noted with fear. She was close, to close. Unsure of what would happen, she hesitated before pulling the lever “Elsa, come back!”

The effect was instant. The portal squealed and hissed and it collapsed into itself, pulling everything in with it. Entities went hurting past the booth as they were sucked back into the Infraworld. The portal rumbled loudly before fully imploding on itself, setting off a series of explosion sending Anna flying into the glass door of the booth and knocking her out.

* * *

With great effort, Anna opened her eyes and pushed herself up as she came to. The condenser and the housing room were in ruins, flames licked up from the epicentre. The Entities were gone, all of them. She let out a sigh of relief, it was over, before she remembered that Elsa, connected to her as she was, was an Entity herself and she couldn’t feel her. “Elsa!” she cried as she scrambled to her feet “Elsa where are you!” tears tracked their way down her face as she continued to cry out for the being that she once wished would leave her. Elsa was part of her, she protected her and cared for her and she couldn’t imagine her life without Elsa by her side, without her constant companion.

“Elsa, please” she chokes out, gripping the ruined control panel for support as sobs racked her body.

A snowflake lands on her hand, flowed by another and then more began to float down around her. Anna let out a relieved laugh as she sat down and caught the flakes in the palms of her hands “Elsa, oh Elsa” she sniffled as she cradled her hands to her heart “Don’t leave me. Don’t you ever leave me!” she whispered “I’d be lost without you so you stay where you belong, you stay with my heart and you don’t leave!” She sobbed as she rocked in the falling snow.

* * *

“Anna!” Oaken calls as the girl hobbled out of the front doors. She looked a little worse for wear, but she was alive. He rushed to her and pulled her into a tight hug, holding her as close as he could “Oh my little Anna, I thought you weren’t coming back.” She muttered “I thought you had died” the great man was crying softly into her shoulder.

She hesitated only a moment before she wrapped her arms around him “Can we go home now, Oaken?”

“Of course, Anna, of course we can” he pulled back and smiled wetly at her “Let’s go home”


	12. Separation

It was a new lab room, specifically designed for their new tests, new experiments.

Anna stood atop a small platform surrounded by cameras and sensor equipment. Her hair hung loosely over her shoulders and her bangs stuck out around the sensor she wore around on her head. Nervous, she rubbed her palms against her jeans and shot Sven a crooked smile and a thumbs up.

“You ready, Snowflake?” He asked as she typed away on his computer.

“Ready? I was born ready” she hopped from foot to foot as Sven laughed happily.

“Almighty kiddo, here we go” he smiled as he booted up the systems and nodded to Oaken who walked up to the platform.

“Now, Little Anna, today we will be taking the tests to a new realm” he clasped his hands together “You told me once that you could channel Elsa’s powers, today I wish to test this.” He nodded and continued “I know it is scary, and the last time it was harmful, but you are stronger now. I believe in you” he nodded again and stepped back “Now, I want you to craft something, something small so you do not strain yourself.” He tapped a clipboard “A snowflake” he said, holding up a hand when Anna started talking “Not just any snowflake. Elsa’s snowflake, the one you drew for me when you were young”

The redhead rubbed her hands together and smiled “Elsa’s snowflake” she muttered and moved her hands apart “Okay Elsa, through me, gently this time.” The tips of her fingers turned a light blue as ice sparked out from her tips and spiraled into a tightly packed ball. Anna stuck her tongue out in concentration as she moved her hands around the ball, forming it and shaping it slowly but surely into the delicate snowflake that she knew so very well. Elsa’s personal snowflake. Slowly she raised her hands up and the finished snowflake floated up.

A gasp slipped past her lips as she collapsed to the ground, trying to catch her breath. The blue frost had crept up almost to her elbows and her vision was blurry. But there floating above her was the snowflake, shining bright and beautiful. “Good job Elsa” she wheezed out as she struggled to her feet and waved her hand, causing the snowflake to melt away to the gentle applause of Oaken and Sven.

Oaken wrapped his arms around the girl to keep her steady and on her feet “How about we get you something to strengthen you back up, give you the good feelies, Ja?” he chuckled and lead her to a joining room with a kitchenette.

Anna laughed half-heartedly “Please, no lutefisk Oaken” she leaned against him “How about some tea? With honey?” she said as she nuzzled into his side, causing another chuckle to tumble forth.

She leaned against the wall and waited as the water boiled slowly, humming to herself. Distantly she heard the phone ring as she poured the water into her mug over the bag and honey.

“Oaken?” Anna looked up when she heard Sven’s voice. “Yeah, alright. Sure” a few footsteps and then Sven poked his head in the door “Hey, Oaken. There’s someone on the phone, some guy named Kristoff Bjorgman on the phone. He says that you know what this is about”

The man put down his own mug of tea and sighed “Bjorgman, yes” he nodded solemnly “Excuse me” he muttered and left the lab, closing the door as quietly as he could.

“Elsa” The redhead took a slow sip from her tea “Don’t you dare” she mumbled before letting out a long sigh “and of course you are going to. I really don’t need to know what they are talking about”

* * *

_She may have taken to listening to other some of the things that she needed to do but no one, not even Anna, could stop her from doing something that she wanted to do, and she wanted to know what the good doctor was talking about. She phased through the walls and out into the small lobby outside the lab room._

_There were three men there. Oaken was shaking the hand of a blond man that looked like he had been forcibly stuffed into the suit that he was wearing, like if he sneezed the buttons would pop and the seams would tear. Then off on his own, standing in the stairwell was the third man. His suit was a pristine white and his auburn hair was smoothed back with not a hair out of place. He was leaning against the wall examining the matching white gloves he wore with a mildly bored expression on her face. The pair were obviously there together, even if they didn’t look it._

_She became faintly aware that Oaken and the other large man were talking again and turned her attention back to them._

_“She doesn’t know about this yet” Oaken ran his fingers through his hair “I just need more time” he pleaded._

_“Listen Prof. She needs to come with us today I --“ he looked back to the man in white and sighed ruffling his own hair “I have my orders”_

_“Sven and I” Oaken reached out and clasped his hands together “we are the only family she has and she’s only a child” if eyes were soft “Please don’t do this”_

_“Look, I get where you’re coming from, I really do” The blond looked to the man in white again “I’m sorry, but orders are orders. Now, will you be bringing her out or-“_

_The man in white cut him off “or will we have to go and get her?” his voice was sickly sweet and silky smooth, Elsa hated it “I don’t pay my muscle enough to listen to your sob stories. Now fetch the girl” he flashed a toothy smile and walked up and out of the labs lobby._

* * *

Anna had heard enough, no one talked to Oaken that way. She took a deep breath and hurried out of the lab and into the lobby. She had a scowl set on her face as she looked between the two remaining men “What’s going on here?”

Oaken sighed placed a hand on her shoulder “Anna” he sighed sadly “This is Kristoff Bjorgman…. He’s from the CIA” he dropped his hand to his side “UNIT 4” he cleared his throat “UNIT 4 wishes for you to be sent to join their military school program up north” He turned to face her fully “From now on, Agent Bjorgman will be taking care of you. You have to go with him” he paused “Today, Anna”

Anna clenched her fists and did her best to keep her breathing even. She needed to stay calm, she knew that, she could feel the ice pulsing beneath her skin. This was all she knew, this place and these people. “Oaken” her voice sounded weak “You can’t let them take me away, please don’t let them do this” she pleaded.

“I can’t go back on this. It’s already decided, set in stone. Your mother” he paused when he saw the hurt look on Anna’s face “Madam Gothel signed the forms a long time ago. You belong to them and their Program. I’m sorry”

Anna couldn’t contain it anymore, the ice spiked out around her in a small arc as she snapped “What am I!?” she snapped “A toy? A rodent? Lab rat!?” she raged as she backed up “My whole life things have always been decided for me, what I should do, where I should go. Not once has anyone ever asked me what I wanted! Not once, Oaken!”

Oaken grabbed the fiery girl’s shoulders and squeezed them gently “I know, Little Anna. But believe me when I say that this will be good for you. It’s for the best.”

“Are you even listening?” Anna whispered angrily “How the hell do you know what is best for me if you never listen to me!?” she finally snapped “Even now you’re ignoring me!”

There was a loud clap and everyone turned their attention to Kristoff “Well, that is enough of that. Miss Summers, for the safety of everyone in this room, I’m going to have to ask you to calm down and control that ice of your. I’m not going to lie, I don’t trust your self-control” he nodded when the ice started to recede “Thank you” his voice dripped with a mild amount of sarcasm “now, you come along with me” his voice was calm and even, just the tone seemed to bring Anna a sense of calm as she walked to the man’s side and Oaken made to follow “oh no, not you Dr. Doom. I just defused your volatile situation” he snorted “You stay here till we are ready to leave”

The doctor stood a little taller, already being a full head taller than the agent, he practically dwarfed him now “What did you call me?”

Kristoff took a step back with Anna but otherwise ignored Oaken. He looked over at Sven who had long since exited the lab “Ah, you look helpful” he pointed to the stairs with his thumb to the stairs “Mind taking her to get packed?”

Sven blinked and walked forward “uh, yeah. Yeah sure” he placed his hands on her shoulders and lead of off, quietly whispering words of comfort to the girl.

* * *

Once she was alone in her room, Anna broke.

Ice blasted out from the epicenter of her own personal storm that lashed out around her, destroying much of the furniture in the living room before she collapsed to the floor and let out a cry.

After a short fit of tears, she got to her feet, using the door as a support and stumbled into her room, scooping up her duffel bag and tossing it onto her bed. She moved through her room like she was in a trance collecting her things. Cloths and her toothbrush, pajamas and other important things. She moved to her desk and looked over the things that she had there.

A photo of her at a young age, so happy and naive, smiling hand in hand with her foster mother. She quickly snatched it up and tore it to pieces. Next was a photo of Oaken and Sven which she slowly turned face down on her desk. Lastly, the picture she had drawn for Oaken when they first met “I’ll leave this for you, Doc”

She walked to her door and looked back at the ruins of her apartment and all of the things she would be leaving behind her. Thoughts, memories, her plush dog, her life. With a heavy sigh she left, slamming the door behind her,  sending ice through the wood.

* * *

“Thank you so much, Sven” Anna’s voice was muffled by the man’s coat.

“No problem, Snowflake” he smiled and held her shoulders “You look after yourself, okay?”

Anna nodded and smiled up at him “I will” she stepped back and turned to Oaken. After a few tense moments she hugged him as well “try not to get lost in the past” she muttered before stepping back and walking to Kristoff’s side. “Well take me away Mister Agent”

“I don’t take people places” he grumbled, making Sven snort a laugh “This is…. Special circumstances” he walked past Anna and waved for her to follow “Come along Frosty, lets roll”


	13. Welcome to the CIA

Anna tossed her duffle bag onto the cot that sat in the corner of what would be her room for the next three years. It had a small window set into the concrete walls above her bed and the floors were made of shiny waxed wood. Behind the door, a set of lockers in which to keep what few possessions she had. With a heavy sigh she sat down on the cot and ran her hands roughly through her bangs.

She could still barely believe it, in the course of a single day her entire world had flipped, changed, ended even. She was in the CIA, a special unit. She’d have to hurt people, kill people. She shuddered at the thought. What made it all the worse, she was only there because the woman whom she had called Mother, had sold her to them? Madam Gothel hadn’t always been the best Mother, but she was all she had. She had been her lifeline, her tether to the world outside of her house, outside of her fears. She had played the part well and after everything that had happened, everything she had learned, Anna found herself missing the woman years after they had parted ways.

A gentle knock on the door pulled the redhead from her thoughts and she looked up to see Agent Bjorgman leaning against the doorframe with a lazy half smile.

“I see that you’re all settled in” he nodded towards her.

Anna shrugged “As settled as I can get, you know, after being ripped from my life and all, Agent Bjorgman” she set a steady glare on the man.

He sighed “Look, I’m sorry that it had to go down like that, but orders are orders. There was nothing I could do” he tried to calm the girl. When her glare didn’t lessen he let out a heavy sigh and pushed a box into her room from where he had set it on the floor “Training gear, and you’re key card. Don’t lose it”

“Thank you, Agent Bjorgman” Anna deadpanned.                           

“Could you at least call me by my name? Agent Bjorgman sounds so, stuffy. I’m just trying to make you more comfortable, Anna. Come on, Try it. Kristoff” he flashed her a small smile.

Anna made a non-committal grunt “I’ll think about it, Agent Bjorgman”

Kristoff sighed and turned to leave “Well, I guess all I can say is, welcome to Camp Bald” he said as he began walking away down the hall “Get some rest, you’ll need it. Training started tomorrow at dawn, Junior Agent Summers” his voice echoed down the hall with a taunting laugh and Anna Grimaced.

“Junior Agent” she spat. His comment had set a fire in her gut, a determination that she wasn’t expecting “I’ll show him”

* * *

WEEK 1

Anna sat on the floor of the dojo holding a bloody cloth to her still bleeding nose as she tried to catch her breath.

“You did okay, Kid” Phil clapped her on the back, hard. Phil was one of her instructors (see forceful motivator). He was a stout man with short ginger hair and a goatee that he fought tooth and nail to keep. Short as he was, he had a voice that could boom like a giants when he wanted it to and he worked Anna to the brink of passing out. “Not many of the newbies last that long in their first round with Shang.

Shang, her second instructor. He was at least twice the height of Phil with dark eyes and black hair. He was to teach her combat and he was very much a fan of learning on the go. Anna thought he had been joking when he had shown her but the basics before her ordered her to fight him. She had just snorted with laugher when the first punch flew. She had managed to block a lot of his hits but her inability to get on the offensive in time was what had led her to her current bruised and bloodied state.

  “Most don’t last that long!?” Anna’s mouth hung open “But that couldn’t have been more than three minutes!” she gaped.

“Two and a half, to be exact” Shang smiled as he crouched in front of her “But who’s counting?” he smiled as he pulled the cloth away from her nose and inspected her “Well its stopped bleeding, so that’s good, and it doesn’t seem to be broken” he nodded and stood “Good work, think you can hit me next time?” he tilted his head and couldn’t help but girl at the girls look of pure determination.

“Count on it!”

* * *

WEEK 5

The rain pelted down around Anna as she ran along the muddy trail of the obstacle course. Her bangs clung to her forehead and her hair fell heavily across her back, barely contained in her ponytail. Her breathe came in sharp pants as she forced herself onwards towards the log vaults.

She made to jump but her foot slipped and she went tumbling over the log and slid through the mud a few feet.

“Come on, Kid!” Phil’s voice called out, hardly heard above the drumming of the rain “Get up! On your feet!”

At his prompting, Anna rose slowly and set off at a steady jog before picking up speed again.

“Come on! The sooner you’re done, the sooner you eat!”

* * *

WEEK 9

Anna lay back on her cot, her arms tucked under her head, lost in her thoughts. She had met a few of the other trainees, though they mostly just avoided her, and had seen the way the instructors interacted with them. Harsh and cold, the picture of order and superiority. Nothing like how Shang and Phil treated her. Sure there was still a clear line between them setting them apart, but it seemed different.

Praises were hard to come by from them but when they did come about they were always well earned. They were friendly and kind, but still firm and at times harsh. She winced just thinking about her currently bruised ribs. Very harsh. But she knew that they treated her more like an equal.

She had wondered about this a few times. Why was that? Was it pity for the circumstanced that brought her there? No, she ruled that and many other options out quickly.

She had been racking her brain for days when she finally built up the courage to ask them.

“You’re different, Kid” Phil had told her “Not like the others. You’re bright, and willing and good, you got this spark to yeah and I guess, well I admire your spirit, Kid, because you’ve managed to keep it. Even with me and Shang trying to crush it, make you into the perfect solider”

“But what good is a solider, without heart” Shang had simplified “You have a lot of heart, and you fight good. You remind me of myself, in a way, when I was younger”

Anna smiled at the memory of the conversation. They pair reminded her of Oaken and Sven and suddenly she didn’t feel so alone. They felt more like mentors then the iron fisted instructors she had been expecting. They got her, and she was infinitely glad for it.

 

* * *

WEEK 13

Anna’s eyes widened in shock as Shang stumbled back with a grunt. “I-I hit you” she gasped “I actually hit you!” her celebration was cut short by a sudden knee to her gut that sent her tumbling and gasping, trying to regain her breathe.

“Never celebrate your victory until it is assured” he scolded “On your feet”

Still gasping, Anna rose to her feet and took her defensive stance “Yes, Sensei” she wheezed as he advanced. It was going to be a long and bruise filled day.

* * *

WEEK 25

The spear of ice flew from the tips of Anna’s fingers and went soaring towards the target set far down the range.

“You missed” Shang grunted as he nodded towards the spear that was lodged in the ground a good three feet away from the target “You rarely miss, Anna, and never that spectacularly. Something on your mind?”

The ground around her was frosted over lightly and she took deep calming breaths “I’m fine” she huffed “Just a little stressed is all. Exams and everything coming up.” She clenched her fists to quell the ice in her palms “Elsa’s stressed to. She wants to prove herself but…. She doesn’t like this… the idea of using the ice to hurt people”

“Think of it, not as hurting over people. It’s a defence, like your blocks in combat” Shang guided Anna’s arms back into position, making it look like she was about to fire an arrow “Or a practice of control. If you can channel the ice, direct it, control it, then you need not fear it.” He stepped back once Anna was calmer and crossed his arms “Now, AGAIN!” he barked.

“Yes Sensei!” Anna tensed and fired another spear, striking the bull’s-eye.

* * *

WEEK 73

Anna leapt from the top of the ramp towards the climbing wall that had been set up on the track. ‘Now, Elsa!’ she closed her hands into tight fists as small needles of ice grew over her skin. She hit the wall hard, and to her utter surprise, she stuck to the wall.

She let out a whoop of delight “Did you see that, Phil?” she called to the man who stood off to the side “I finally stuck it!” she laughed and nodded to her hands “Get it? Stuck it? Cause I’m stuck. To the wall? You see, it’s punny, Phil.” When the man refused to laugh she pouted and began to climb “At least Elsa thought it was funny, right, Elsa?” she grumped.

No sooner had the words left her mouth did the ice needles melt and Anna fell with a yelp of surprise landing in a pile of sudden snow and getting quite stuck.

“Elsa!” Anna cried as she squirmed indignantly “The hell!?”

“Now that, that was funny!” Phil laughed. When his laughter finally died down he stood straight “Whew that was good. Back up the wall with you”

* * *

WEEK 94

Spears of ice flew out in a graceful arc as they struck their marks. Anna allowed herself a small satisfied grin as she looked over to Shang as he dropped his bow “Well, looks like I shattered your arrows, Teach. Told you I could”

“She told you” Phil agreed with a nod as he held out his hand “Pay up, Chump”

Grumbling, Shang dug through his pockets and slammed a handful of bills into the shorter man’s hand before storming off grumbling loudly. Something about cheating ice witches that drew grins from both Phil and Anna.

* * *

WEEK 134

The baton that Shang was wielding swung through the air towards Anna. She raised her arms in defence and ice spread out as a shield, only to be shattered by strike, sending Anna stumbling to the side. She was always surprised by the man’s strength. No sooner had the first blow been struck did the second and third swiftly follow.

She dodged and blocked as she backed up, taking the hits while looking for an opening.

He swung wide and Anna saw her chance. She threw a punch at his elbow and advanced.

His weapon was lost and his arm useless, Shang kicked towards her.

A kick that she caught and pulled towards herself, sending them both tumbling to the mats.

After the tumble, Shang had Anna pinned to the ground. Pressing his advantage he pulled his training knife from his boot and held it to her throat.

“Cheater” Anna grunted as she struggled.

“All’s fair in a fight for your life” he smirked.

A smirk that Anna returned as she smashed an ice covered fist into the side of his head, sending him reeling in pain. She got her feet up against his stomach and kicked, knocking him off and onto his back.

The tables were turned and Anna pounced. She pinned him to the mats, quite literally as small spikes of ice pierced through his shirt and into the mats below them. She over him, holding a sinister shard of ice to his throat in turn. In that moment she usually bright and sunny redhead looked savage, and then the moment passed. Anna smiled brightly “Yield?” she asked.

“Cheater” Shang smirked as he pushed her off “I yield, I yield”

“All’s fair in a fight for your life” Anna mocked as she dissolved the ice that held him down and helped him to his feet.

A steady applause drew their attention to where Phil stood next to Agent Bjorgman, utterly dwarfed by the blond man. She had been so caught up in her intense sparing match that she hadn’t even noticed him.

“Well done, Anna” Kristoff complemented her with a kind smile.

Anna nodded tersely “Thank you, Agent Bjorgman” she said as she made to leave.

He sighed “How many times do I have to tell you Anna, call me Kristoff”

“A few more times, Agent Bjorgman” Anna allowed herself a small smile as she left the dojo with the usual spring to her step.

* * *

WEEK 153

“Alright, Kid” Phil’s voice crackled through the ear piece Anna was wearing “Final exam day, you ready?”

“I was born ready” she whispered back, and she looked it. Anna looked every bit the agent she had been trained to be in the span of three years. She was dressed in a back tank top and matching black cargo pants with high laced soft soled boots. Fingerless gloves and a brimmed cap finished off her look.

Phil chuckled “You know the drill, Kid, simple capture the flag. Get from point A to point B undetected and retrieve the flag. We’ll be watching. Good luck, Anna” the ear piece cracked and went silent.

Anna took a deep breath and centered herself as she slowly stood from where she had been crouched and peered around the corner. From her hiding spot she could only see about half of the dimly lit area. It had been designed to resemble something akin to a shipping dock, or so Anna assumed. Shipping crates, sandbag walls and a sparse scattering of crates and barrels gave plenty of cover for the girl. It seemed easy enough. At least it would have, if not for the presence of the CIA agents posted throughout. Highly trained agents that would probably get a good kick out of beating on a new trainee stood strategically across the roofs and patrolled the ground.

She rubbed her hands together as wispy tendrils of ice flowed down her arms and into her palms, conjuring a crystalline snowflake, channeling all of Elsa’s power into it. Her legs shook and her breathing was reduced to muffled gasps once she had finished it. “Stay close” she whispered as she let go of the snowflake, watching as it flittered up into the shadows. It was risky, she had learned, channeling that much of Elsa’s power through herself, but her body was the perfect amplifier and she had a feeling she would need that little snowflake.

After a doing a quick check, Anna dashed and rolled for cover behind a sandbag just before one of the patrolling agents rounded the corner of a crate and took up a post right where she needed to go. She grit her teeth. Of course they would move to block the most obvious path. She rooted around on the ground and found a small rock and tossed it at the crate causing a light clang loud enough to draw his attention. Peering over the bag, she watched as he past her by and made her move. Anna popped up and delivered a shift hard blow to the side of the man’s head and pulled him over the bag wall to hide him.

With the way now clear, Anna advanced steadily onward towards her goal. She looked up periodically, feeling the tug and pull of the Bond and grinned. ‘Cheater’ she thought as she followed the tugs. Elsa was guiding her, steering her away and around many of the patrolling guards and leading her to a ladder attached to the side of a crate.

She scrambled up and moved from crate top to crate top, silently taking out the agents as she went. Finally she stood on a crate and looked down at the agent defending the flag. After dropping down she swept her leg out into his ankles, knocking him to the ground before a shift strike knocked him out.

She was barely able to contain her giggle of glee as she moved towards the flag. This was it. She had to pick up that caution orange flag and she would be done with this camp. Barely twenty years old and she would finally be free to roam, no longer confined to labs or camps or quaint little houses in quaint little neighbourhoods. Free as she would ever be able to be. She made to reach done to grab it but froze.

The cool metal of a gun pressed to her temple and the temperature of the room dropped drastically.

Kristoff pulled the gun back a bit “You didn’t check the corners. You’re reckless and impulsive and you are going to kill yourself someday if you keep that up. In fact, if this wasn’t your exam, if you weren’t my charge, you’d probably be dead by now” his breath plumed in front of him as he spoke “but nice run”

Anna scoffed “If this weren’t my exam, Elsa would have run you through by now” her voice was strained.

It was only then that Kristoff noticed the pinprick of ice poking into the back of his neck. He slowly handed the gun to Anna, who had extended her hand to take it, and turned, drawing in a sharp breath.

Behind him stood a fully formed ice creature, human in appearance but the bright blue glow of its eyes gave it away. The ice Golem that Elsa currently resided in lowered its spiked arm and regarded Kristoff coldly, keep sure to keep its feet on the snowflake on the ground that it had rose from.

“So you’ve given her a full form? Clever, Anna. Very clever” He shoved the golem off of the snowflake and instantly it dissolved, drawing a pained hiss from Anna “But I stand by what I said. Reckless” he smiled and held out his hand to shake hers “But, congratulations are in order. You passed. Welcome to the CIA, Agent Anna Summers”

Anna beamed and shook his hand as firmly as she could to hide her residual weakness from her stunt with the snowflake grown golem “Thank you, Kristoff”


	14. Extra Experiments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is based off of the games DLC and takes place during the time skips of the previous chapter.

WEEK 50

Anna stood alone in a stark white room. The paneled walls rose high over her head to meet a reinforced ceiling. Set into each of the walls was a mirror, an observation room sat behind on of them though she wasn’t sure which.

“Alright Anna” came a voice of honey over the hidden speakers, startling her “I’m sure you were informed why you were brought to this test chamber?”

There was a nagging thought in the back of her mind, like a memory. She knew that voice but she couldn’t place it. Elsa felt it to, she could feel her unease and did her best to calm her, lest they freeze the whole room before the test even began “Yes, Agent Bjorgman gave me the briefing” call her steady reply “You wish to push me to my limits. See the full power of the ice.”

“That is correct” the same sweet voice “Well, mostly”

“Mostly?” Anna tilted her head as she turned in a steady circle. She wanted to see them, she hated not seeing the face of whoever it was that was speaking to her.

“We have read over Dr. Oaken’s reports and we have found notes on something interesting. Your ability to a conduit to your Entities power.”

Anna froze “That was years ago, an isolated incident” she spit out.

“We want to take the channeling a step further. Break the limits. You are the conduit, all of you. Your entire being can amply this ice tenfold. We wish to see it so that we may better understand its uses. You can handle it, I’m sure.”

This sent a spike of fear through Anna. At the party, she had only channeled the ice through her arms, a painful and exhausting accident. What the owner of the voice was suggesting, she could get seriously hurt, or worse. But he sound so confident, so sure. Elsa was against the idea, Anna knew. She had been so careful since then to avoid it. “I’ll be okay, Elsa. You’ll do fine. Just a little test. We’re good with tests” she looked up “A full body channeling, right? Ice being magnified and intensified tenfold?” she nodded to herself “Alright, I can handle that”

“Excellent!” the voice cheered “Ready when you are, Miss Summers” the lights dimmed slightly and the room became less blinding.

Anna held a hand over her heart and took a deep breath “My body is yours, Elsa. You’re part of me, and I’m part of you.” She reassured “So I can feel your power bubbling, sparking, and growing. Maybe one good burst is what we need to control it better, fully even” she dared to hope as she closed her eyes “Let me do this for you.” She smiled “Let it go”

The effect was almost instant. Elsa surged forth through her. Her body moved with a will that was not own as the cold flooded through her.

Everything was pain and joy. Fear and wonder. Ice and snow swirled out from around her in beautiful arcs and shapes across the floors. Her eyes rolled back and her breath caught. She couldn’t breathe. Her hands moved before her like she was molding clay and as quickly as it started it was over.

The room was eerily quiet as Anna swayed on weak legs. Her vision was blurred but slowly it focused on the creation that she and Elsa had made. Before her stood a creature with a twisted, vaguely human form made of living ice. Tear welled in her eyes as it turned its head to look at her with eyes that showed clear intelligence. She choked back a happy sob as she stumbled forward, one hand extended and the other clenched at her chest. She could feel overwhelming joy through the Bond and a grin burst over her face as the golem reached out to her.

“Elsa” she breathed out as she cupped the golems face, smoothing out the features of its face into something more beautiful, more human.

Tears trailed frozen tracks down her face as she hugged the golem, letting out a strangled sob of joy as its arms wrapped around her, returning the hug “So this is what we can do, together”

The word echoes back through the bond and Anna laughs weakly “We’ll get stronger. I promise. We’ll give you a face, so that I can see you smile. At least once” she mumbles as she eyes fall shut and she collapses against the now dissolving ice golem and onto the snow covered floor as exhaustion dragged her into a black dreamless sleep to recover her and heal.


	15. The Embassy

It took all of the self-restraint that Anna possessed not to run squealing with joy into the massive guest room turned ball room in the Agrabah embassy, it also helped that Kristoff had his arm linked tightly with hers to keep the redhead at his side “Easy there, Feisty pants” he grinned at her as he looked around “So this is what a party looks like. Boss never let me go to one before, always let the pretty boys take on these jobs” he huffed.

“There are so many people” she whispered as she clung to the blond man, her nerves chilled the air around them slightly “And it’s warmer than I thought it would be… Do I look okay? I’m not to under dressed am I?”

“Not from where I’m standing” Kristoff grumbled as he turned and gently grabbed Anna’s shoulders “Relax. You look beautiful, Anna. Definitely not underdressed” he offered her a smile.

As she calmed herself she took a moment to look down at her dress for what had to have been the hundredth time since they had left their hotel. An emerald green dress with delicate little flowers stitched along the hem in gold thread and a black sash tied around her waist. She smoothed a crease out with her hand and nodded with a light blush spreading over her freckled cheeks “I guess I do look pretty good” she smiled.

“That’s the spirit” he clapped her on the back and lowered his voice “Straighten up, here comes the Ambassador”

“Ah! Agent Bjorgman” A heavily accented voice called “It is good to see that they have finally allowed you so come to a party, rather than keeping you all cooped up in the office meetings” he turned his dark eyes onto Anna and smiled a crooked smile “Perhaps, it is because there is a reason for you to behave yourself” he cocked an eyebrow “Has the agency finally given you a babysitter?”

Anna was about to reply but Kristoff cut her off with a forced laugh “Always the joker, Ambassador” he cleared his throat “Ambassador, this is my new assistant, Anna Dale. Anna, this is Ambassador Jafar of Agrabah”

“Delighted to meet you, Ms. Dale” Jafar bowed slightly.

“Charmed” Anna barely hid the glare she was shooting at Kristoff in time.

As the two men engaged themselves in light conversation, Anna took the time to get a good look at Jafar. The man wore a long black robe with a matching turban and a length of silk wrapped around his waist, he leaned on a mahogany cane with a golden snake head handle. His face was narrow and long, tipped with a twisted black goatee. There was something about the man that didn’t sit right with Anna. The way his mouth twisted into a sneer, or how his eyes seemed to dark about. She didn’t like him.

“Did you hear me Anna?” Kristoff shook her.

“Hmm? Did you say something?”

He sighed “I said, ‘why don’t you go get a drink while I entertain the Ambassador’”

“A drink? But I’m not even thir-“ Anna began, but the look in her partners eyes reminded her of why she was even at the party to begin with. Their mission “I mean, I’m not thirsty but it is pretty hot in hear, and hydration is key to staying fit and healthy. Agent Bjorgman is always looking out for me like that. Making sure I’m taking care of myself, getting enough to eat and checking up on me and-“

“Anna” his voice was stern.

“I’ll go get that drink now” she laughed and moved past them before remembering her manners and inclining her head to the Ambassador “It was nice to meet you.” She said in a rush before rushing past the drink table and down the hall which lead to the washrooms.

After checking the washroom to see if she was alone, Anna locked herself in the end stall, although it could barely be called a stall with its solid wood door and decorative marble interior, and sat down on the plush seat cover. She rooted around in her small handbag and retrieved a notebook and a small monogramed pen and settled in, ready to get to work. Anna took a deep breath and tucked a loose strand of strawberry hair behind her ear. “Okay, Elsa. I got us in. The stage is yours. Go” she sucked in a sharp gasp of air as Elsa pulled away from her “Upstairs, there is a large painting, the safe with the documents is behind it. There will be lots of guards and cameras so you have to be fast. You won’t need to take the documents, just get enough light on them so that we can read them. I’ll take it from there. And Elsa, to trace. We were never there. Go”

* * *

_Elsa moved up through the bathroom ceiling and onto the second floor. The first thing that greeted her was a wall of monitors set over a long desk and two guards sitting in front of it. What luck, the security office had been right above them. She drifted higher and examined the screens. She was sure that a safe containing such important documents would be monitored constantly so, logically, she would be able to find it without phasing from room to room._

_After a minute of searching she found the only painting large enough the hide a safe, confusingly enough the gilded frame housed a portrait of Joan of Arc. She briefly wondered why an embassy in Agrabah would house a portrait of a long dead French saint, but the mission was still at hand._

_The door rattled open, startling Elsa and causing a small spark of ice to spread out under her. Not good. She just barely managed to melt the ice before the guard walked past her, stepping where the ice had been only moments before, and she quickly passed out of the room and into the hall._

_West wing, room fourteen, which had been what the caption on the screen had said. All she had to do was get to the end of the hall and-_

_Pain shot through her entire form as she reached the end of the tether. The room was just out of her reach, but she could feel Anna’s pain, and so she eased up until the pain was gone._

_‘_ Keep going’ _Anna’s voice echoed around her ‘_ I can take it. Go Elsa, we have to finish the mission. _’_

_Their tether pulled and strained as Elsa made her way back towards the room, chilling the hall as she went. She felt strained, like she was being pulled apart, and worse she was hurting Anna. But the mission, Anna wanted her to complete their mission._

_She phased through the door and moved from camera to camera freezing them over as she went. She didn’t have long now before the guards took notice of the frosty picture on the monitor. Elsa hurried to the picture and forced it open with a small spike of ice and drifted into the tumblers and set about setting them before pushing open the safe. ‘_ I’m ready, Elsa _’._

* * *

Anna was barely able to keep herself upright when Elsa opened a link and her eyes rolled back as images of the documents that Elsa was flipping through in the safe flashed through her mind. Rapidly, Anna began writing down everything from the pages, nearly filling the notebook. Her head felt like it was splitting open and her blood boiling. Pages flew on both ends as they neared the end of the documents, but something was wrong. Anna could hear faint footsteps through the haze that had filled her mind. A guard had finally noticed the cameras and was going to investigate. “Elsa, get out” Anna croaked “We’re out of time, we have enough. I can’t take this, come back”

As Elsa returned to her, the tether snapped back and all of the stress caught up to her and Anna collapsed to the floor, gasping for air. Her papers and pen were scattered across the floor of the stall and Anna struggled to gather them and stuff them back into her purse with quivering hands.

The lock on the door proved a challenge but she managed to get the door opened and stumbled over towards the sink and stared at her reflections. Her skin was almost white it was so pale and her forehead glistened with a thin sheen of sweat. She wiped her face down and stumbled her way out of the bathroom.

Everything was a blur. People moved past her, hiding their laughs at what they assumed was a woman who had had too much to drink. She had to find Kristoff, they had to leave. Everyone looked the same and she was beginning to panic. The air around her chilled and she drew her hands up to her chest as she swayed on her feet “Kristoff” she whimpered as her legs gave out.

Strong arms grabbed her shoulders, stopping her fall and raised her up back to her feet “Glad I caught you” a sweet voice sounded near her ear. Anna’s eyes focused slowly and her saviours face came into view. Perfectly parted auburn hair and neatly trimmed sideburns framed a gorgeous face that was dusted with light freckles and a kindly smile “You’ve caused quiet the stir around hear.” He began leading her away from the center of the ballroom and towards a small cluster of dignitaries, and Kristoff”

“Agent Bjorgman” the man with the sweet voice called, drawing the blond man’s attention “Look who I found chilling out on the dance floor”

“Anna!” Kristoff rushed forward and pulled her to his side. He took a breath and seemed to swallow his pride before addressing the man with the auburn hair. “Thank you for bringing her to me, Mr. Westergard”

“Please, Agent Bjorgman, just Hans. Mr. Westergard is my father” he said with a large grin, unfazed by Kristoff’s lack of laughter “Anyways, it’s a good thing a found her, really can’t have our little ice queen here getting lost. You will try to keep a better eye on her, won’t you?” he leaned close to Kristoff and lowered his voice “Or I might have to find someone else to do it. I’m sure I could do a fine job being her caretaker” with that he walked off into the crowd with a light wave.

“Kristoff?” Anna croaked “What happened? I was trying to find you and then this wonderful man was catching me and-“

“Hans Westergard, his father’s company is your beneficiary” he explained “I didn’t know he was going to be here”

“He seemed nice. I like him” the redhead mumbled and Kristoff merely nodded “I got them Kris, the documents. I did it”

“That great Anna. I’m proud of you” he forced a smile as they walked towards the door “Let’s get you back to the hotel and get you a nice mug of cocoa”

Anna leaned against him more, she felt exhausted “You, Agent Bjorgman, know the way right to a girls heart” she smiled up at him “Can I have little marshmallows in it?”

Kristoff nodded “Of course, Anna. Of course”


	16. The Dinner

The sound of water rushing from the shower head and splashing against the tiles of the walls and floor lessoned to a trickle as Anna turned the tap off and opened the glass door, further filling the already steam filled bathroom with a new burst of steam. She through on a fluffy bath robe and roughly rubbed a towel over her hair, wringing the water out as she made her way out into her living room.

Met with a wall of glass windows, the redhead smiled as she watched the sun slowly set beyond the city skyline. She had only been in the high class big city apartment for week and she already knew that she would never grow tired of the view, or of the feeling of bliss she got from looking down on the city. Mostly, she was just happy to finally have a place to call her own, really and truly with no one watching over her. She let out a childish giggle before flopping down on her L-shaped faux leather couch to once again take in the sights of her new place.

It was a simple enough apartment, open concept, with one bedroom and bathroom separated from the living area and a short hallway and a pair of sliding doors. The walls were a light cream colour which contrasted well with the mahogany floors. Plenty of windows filled the apartment with ample amounts of natural light and the lights she had picked cast a warm glow upon the walls in the evening hours. The furniture was simple and low set, picked out by Elsa. Anna liked it to but it was the kitchen that she loved the most. All of the latest appliances and an island and bar for extra counter space.

The chiming of her phone pulled Anna from her thoughts and she scrambled over to the dining table to answer it. “Hello?”

“Anna, where are you? I’ve been here for half an hour waiting for you and now the Host is saying that he is going to give away our reservation” Kristoff’s voice rang through the phone, every word confusing Anna more and more.

“I’m at home, why where are you?” she paused a moment to further process his words “Wait, did you say reservations?”

“Yeah, at Remy’s. I had to pull so many strings to get on the list.” There was a pause and muffled shouting that Anna assumed was directed at the Host before he spoke to her again “Did you not get my email?”

At this, Anna turned slowly to face the fried remains of her laptop and cringed, there was still a shard of ice through the screen keeping it pinned to the desk.  “So that’s why she trashed my laptop” the redhead groaned as she glared around the room “No, sorry Kris, I’ve been having computer troubles. I’m so sorry” she sighed “How can I make it up to you?”

“Alright, Alight I’m leaving!” she heard Kristoff’s yell through the speaker before the sound of evening traffic filtered through “Don’t worry about, Anna, I’m not one for stuffy dinners anyways. How about this, quiet dinner at your place, you can show me around. That sound good?”

“Yeah” she smiled “That sounds great. When can you be here?”

“Give me about, oh say, half an hour?”

“Sounds good, see you then” Anna tossed her phone onto the couch after hanging up and groaned loudly “God damn it Elsa!” she raged as she stormed to her fridge “You know how much I’ve been wanting to eat there” she pulled out a jar of tomato sauce, left over from her weekly cook out, and a block of cheese. “The food there is supposed to be phenomenal!” she pulled out a couple of pots and finally the box f pasta “And chef Remy is a legend, Elsa! A, Legend!” She set the water to boil and added the pasta “And now Kristoff gets to eat low class spaghetti” she scrunched her brow together as her cheeks pinked ever so slightly “I do not care what he think, Elsa. Kristoff and I, we are friends. That is all”

Content with the pasta cooking Anna wandered about tidying up her living space. Sure, her and Kristoff had become good friends, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to see how much of a slob she could be “And besides, I’ve been seeing Hans” the very mention of the side burned man sent ice across the floor “Oh grow up, Elsa” Anna snorted as she plucked an abandoned bag of chips of the floor “Hans is” she paused, frowning “He’s nice, and he’s been good to me, to us, Elsa. I mean so had Kris but…” she crossed into the kitchen and angrily tossed out the bag “Look I don’t want to take about this right now. I don’t know what your problem is with them but you will have to get over it.”

She now made her way to the bathroom and tossed a few stray articles of clothing into the hamper. As she turned to leave frosty letters crawled across the mirror. You have me, you don’t need them. With a sigh, Anna placed her palm to the mirror “I’m sorry, Elsa, but I need more. Contact, real physical contact, please try to understand” and Elsa is quiet.

Thinking the battle won, Anna hurries to her room to get dressed. Jeans and a sea foam green tank top, she smiles at her reflection before beginning to do her hair, her favoured style of twin braids.

Halfway her second braid, the door buzzer sounds, eliciting a small and much undignified squeak of surprise from Anna. “Jesus” she breaths as she makes her way to the door, the buzzer sounding again “Wow Kristoff” she called as she reached the door “You’re actually” she pulled open the door to and empty hallway and a look of utter puzzlement fell over her face “early?” slowly she made her way into the hallway, casting her gaze this way and that “Kristoff?” she called. The slamming of the door made her spin around “Elsa!” she snapped as she grabbed hold of the door, only to find that it had frozen over. “Elsa! I do not have time for this” her voice a harsh whisper “Elsa, unfreeze this door!” she shook the handle “Elsa I’m serious, unfreeze this door right now!” still the door remained frozen. Anna screwed her eyes shut and made to twist the handle one last time. Pain, pain like shards of glass being forced into her skull causes her to collapse against the door in a panting heap before it creaks open, the ice now a small puddle on the floor. Elsa is silent now as Anna shakily gets to her feet. “Elsa” her voice is shaky and she tries again “Elsa, I have had enough of your shit” she gasps “Kristoff is coming over, you can’t change that. This is my place, my rules.” She snaps as she turns in a slow circle, her mind still reeling from what she just did without Elsa and that only helped to fuel her rage “And you, you can just go away! Leave me the fuck alone, Elsa! For once just, GO AWAY!”

Her outburst left her panting and the room feeling slightly warmer. The tug in her chest confirmed that Elsa had drifted off, hurt by Anna’s words, but she was still too angry to care. She would make up with the icy Entity later, after a nice home dinner with her best friend. She turned her attention back to the kitchen. That’s right, dinner, she still had to finish that.

* * *

It wasn’t long after Anna had finished setting the table that the door buzzer sounded again. “Please be Kristoff” she chanted as she crossed over to the door and pulled it open “Hi Kris-“ his name died on her tongue as she took I the sight of him. Anna had only ever seen the man wearing various suits with his hair neatly combed, so seeing him in a pair of worn jeans and a button up shirt with his hair a mess was a surprise.

He smiled down at her before lifting up a small case of beer “I brought beer” he chimed as she let him in. “Wow, Anna” he let out a whistle as he looked about “Not too bad.”

After getting settled and served, the pair talked over spaghetti and sipped from their beers until their plates were clear of food, sauce sopped up with cheap bread and the duo merely sat drinking bottle after bottle.

“And next week, Hans said he is going to take me out to see the ocean” Anna grinned over the top of her third (or was it her forth?) bottle “I’ve never seen the ocean before, he is just so thoughtful”

“Can we stop talking about Westergard” Kristoff snapped, shocking Anna.

“What is your problem, Kristoff?” Anna sat up straighter.

“You are lying to yourself, Anna” the blond groaned “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other. You don’t even like him, Anna” he stared down into her eyes “He has blinded you with charm and gifts and ocean trips” he was standing now “Blinded you to what’s real, I’m real, Anna. I’m here and I always have been and I’m real. What I feel is, is real. Please, Anna.”

Anna’s eyes were wide and fearful, fearful because of how Kristoff was looking at her, his eyes so deep and pleading, pleading to her to see something or feel something and it frightened her because his words were stirring something up inside her heart, something she couldn’t quite place.

“Anna” he took her hands in his and pulled her to her feet, she hadn’t even noticed he had gotten up “I love you, Anna. You are brave and strong and I think I would like to kiss you” he paused and looked down, losing his nerve “I mean, if you would allow me to, may I, may we-“

Unsure of what it was that possessed her to do so, Anna took his face in her hands and placed a gentle kiss to his lips “You may” that was all the permission he needed. Strong arms wrapped around her as he leaned down to kiss her again. What had started out as tender, quickly escalated into something more as Anna dug her nails into the back of his shirt and released a quiet moan into the kiss.

Minds hazy from the beer, Anna lead Kristoff through the sliding door and into the bedroom where in they toppled onto her bed side by side in a tangle of arms. A gentle hand sliding along her thigh and under her top is enough to snap Anna from her Haze as suddenly she is fifteen again, her soft plush bed a hard unforgiving pool table, and a gentle caress rough and forced. “Stop, Kristoff stop!” she all but shrieks as she roughly pushes him away, tears streaming from her misty teal eyes “Just don’t” she had to gulp down a sob “Don’t touch me.”

The look of hurt slowly faded to one of mild understanding as he approached the bed again “Anna, did someone” her gaze turned towards him “Did some try to” he couldn’t even finish the thought let alone the sentence and when her only reply was a heart wrenching sob and hurried to try and comfort her. “Oh Anna, I’m sorry. I didn’t know, I-“

“Get out” she didn’t let him finish the apology and when he made no attempt to leave, her gaze hardened “I said get out, Kristoff!”

“Please let me help, I can’t leave you like this.” He pleaded and tried to place a hand upon her shoulder before the sound of groaning ice filled the room.

A storm formed above Anna, wind howling wickedly and snow swirling about, the sheer force of it was enough to push the massive man back a few feet, but still he tried to approach the sobbing girl. From the eye of the storm, thin spears of ice shot out at his feet, forcing him back, but still he did not flee. A well aim spear grazed his cheek as he dodged just in time and that finally convinced him. He called something out to Anna before fleeing the apartment but his words were swallowed up by the wind that Elsa had called as she rushed back to Anna.

Snow fell gently around Anna once the door closed and Anna curled up on her side as the flakes surrounded her “You were right” her voice was hoarse, how long had she cried? Frost and snow covered the room now so it must have been a while. She held a hand to her heart as a final sniffle escaped her “I’m sorry Elsa, I was horrible, and you knew. You were right” she muttered as exhaustion claimed her and she fell into a deep sleep, wrapped in the comforting cold of Elsa and her snow.


	17. The Mission

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Character death ahead. Also several characters will be speaking in Swahili (translations came from Google Translate so I am sorry if they are not 100% accurate)

“This is your entry point” Kristoff pointed out a wide river that separated their camp from the warring city “This city is where that warlord, Mufasa, had holed himself up” He passed a photo to Anna that depicted a man with sorrel skin, bright hazel eyes and russet hair and beard. He didn’t look the part of a warlord, at least not to Anna. Strong and determined, yes, but not a warlord. “Now, he and his ‘Pride’ are on the run, moving twice daily. Our intel says he’s trying to find a way out of the city so this is our only chance.”

“Intel?” Anna looked up “We have intel?”

Kristoff smirked across the table at her “You didn’t think we would send you in blind, did you?”

With a shrug she replied “Actually, that’s exactly what I expected.” She cast her gaze about the tent that served as mission control, its sides decorated with the emblem of Westergard Corp, a tulip bordered by a leaf on either side. “No offence, Agent Bjorgman, but no one has ever really excelled at the whole ‘keeping Anna in the loop’ thing. I have kind of just learned to fly on a wire” She grumbled before making her way to the open flap of the tent, pulling her hair, done in a long red braid, other her shoulder.

“Anna!” Kristoff stood up suddenly “This is serious! Once you are in there, you are on your own! We can’t send any back up in until you light the extraction beacon! You could die!” he snapped “Don’t you treat this like a joke”

Slowly, Anna turned to stare at him and shook her head. “You of all people should know, Agent Bjorgman” she brought her fist up to her heart “I am never, ever, alone” and with that she left, making a bee-line for the helicopter that had been prepped her, checking her side arm as she went.

The ride in the helicopter was a quiet one with only Anna and the pilot inside. She had almost forgot that he was there until his voice chimed “thirty seconds to drop” she stood and braced herself as the door opened. “Three-” a deep breath “two-” ice began to swirl around her feet “One!” Anna dove headfirst towards the water that waited below, pulling her arms above her head and casting a protective shell of ice around her. She fit the water like an arrow, cleanly slicing through the wave, the air around her freezing the water where she hit. Shift, confidant strokes brought her back to the surface and carried her safely to shore.

The city looked every bit the warzone that it had been turned into. Walls of building and houses lay in crumbled heaps, whole buildings gone. The streets were quiet, a fact that she was endlessly thankful for. Quiet meant no screams, no fear. She could deal with that. Anna crouched down next to the ruins of a small house as she gathered her thoughts. “Evidence” she breathed “We need evidence of where he has been. Maybe then we can track him.” She moved silently through the wasted back streets, ducking away at the barest hint of a solider. Be they guns for the warlord or the rebels who opposed him, Anna couldn’t afford to be caught. She was an outside and could be seen as an enemy to any.

The moon had climbed high up into the sky by the time she had left the outskirts and she was still no closer to finding any clues. “This could take forever” she grumbled as she peeked out of an ally “what I need is-” she looked up at the ruined building before her. It was several stories tall and was dotted with windows. The wording on the side had almost all been rubbed away, but she could still make out ‘HOTEL’ written across the side in dark blue paint “A sign” she breathed. “Elsa, scope it out” she felt the chilly Entity move away from her and into the ruins. “Guards?” Anna chewed her lip when she was told of this “Take them out. Quietly, I don’t want to raise any alarms. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to see through Elsa. She would not be blind to this.

* * *

_Elsa was swift and deadly. She passed through each guard in turn, freezing their hearts to a stop and moving on once they had dropped. It was over in a manner of minutes, but she could still feel the heavy toll it was taking on Anna. She wasn’t meant for this. Neither of them were, Elsa knew. But orders were orders, and the Tyrant had to be stopped._

_Her job done, Elsa returned to Anna._

* * *

“Thank you” Anna took off across the road and climbed up through the nearest window. She did her best to avoid the bodies of the men Elsa had killed as she worked her way steadily upwards, using planks to cross gaps in the flooring. It was hard goings but she finally made it to the top.

The room she entered was almost identical to her own tented command centre and she knew that Mufasa had been there. Near a blown apart section of the wall was a small pile of charcoal that still smoked gently. “Still warm” Anna breathed as she waved a hand over the coals. “He couldn’t have left that long ago. But where to?” The room looked like it had been torn apart, stripped of any possible clues. “Damn it” a swift kick to a pile of rubble sent pain shooting up her leg. “Fuckin pile of rocks” she grumbled as she readied a revenge kick. It was only then that she noticed the corner of paper sticking out of the ruble.

Moving the rocks revealed a map of the city. Every street, every building and even all of the alleyways laid out before her on a dirty piece of paper. There was something scribbled down along the edge but for the life of her Anna couldn’t understand it. “How ‘bout it, Els?” Anna held the map up to the moonlight and turned it about “any secret linguistic skills you want to tell me about?” with a sigh she placed the map down on a charred table “Didn’t think so, but it was worth a try, right?”

The map was splattered with splattered with dried blood, but one spot stood out as odd. A bright red circle surrounded a small cluster of building, a bold cross stood in the middle of the cluster. “That looks promising” Anna began tracing a path towards the cluster before folding the map and sliding it into her pocket.

Thin bridges of ice spread from rooftop to crumbling rooftop, dissolving as soon as Anna was back on solid ground. She was rushing towards the cluster and the church at its centre. She had no idea how long Mufasa had been in the area, or how long he would be staying. She had to hurry. She climbed down into an ally when she drew closer.

Anna crawled steadily towards the open square in front of the church. Hoping that her flaming hair didn’t stand out too much, Anna peeked over the barricade she had stopped behind. Men were scurrying about the square, transferring crates and rifles from one of the rundown buildings to the trucks that sat waiting. Shouted orders suddenly dissolved into yells of panic and the screeching of tires sang up with the whistle of a rocket. When the smoke cleared, the ruined remains of at least one the trucks sat smouldering away, the other two were gone.

A gust of wind cleared the smoke as she approached. “Gone” she whispered as she walked through the wreckage “Oh, wow. The rebels must be better equipped then we thought” she groaned as she pulled out the map “And now I have to find them again.” With a huff she plopped down in the dirt and pulled a hunk of charred metal into her lap to spread the map on. “Where could they have gone now?” an answering snowflake bloomed across the map “The residential sector? What gives you that idea? Ah, the rebels won’t attack the people they are trying to save” Anna pondered over this before folding the map once more. “It’s on the other side of town, it could take all night to get there. But you’re right, we don’t have time.” As she stood, the metal clanged to the pavement, knocking off some of the soot to reveal a tulip stamp as she ran back to the alleyways.

She moved slowly the church, choosing it as a shortcut. She froze when a quiet sniffle reached her ears. “Is that, a child?” she hopped over a small ledge only to be greeted by the clicking of a gun. She could feel the air around them chilling as Elsa prepped to defend her, but even she calmed when they saw who it was pointing the gun at them. A little boy with skin and hair near identical to Mufasa. He was sitting at an awkward angle with his free hand clutching his bleeding leg while the other held the gun in a shaky grip. “ **Kuunga, kupata mbali**!” (back up, get away!) his voice was high and shaky.

He was afraid of her, she could see it in his eyes and it hurt her. Slow she raised her hands “Hey there” she started “It looks like you broke your leg” she moved closer, stopping when the gun pointed higher to her forehead “I can help it feel better. Sooth it” she explained as she moved her hands to help him understand as she inched closer and closer. “And you probably have no idea what I’m saying. Here” Anna sighed and kneeled down, holding out her hand. A small flurry of snow sprung up and she smiled when the gun fell and he gasped in shock. “ **Uchawi** ” (magic?) he whispered. “Um, yea” Anna nodded “ **Uchawi**. Can I help you now?”

When the boy nodded scooted up next to him and placed her hands on his leg “hmm, broken” Anna furrowed her brows “Sorry about this” she dug her thumb into the wound above the break and allowed the ice to flow, freezing the bone back together. “There, the ice will hold till it heals, by then it’ll dissipate” Anna smiled and stood slowly. She watched as the child stood slowly, testing the leg before a broad smile stretched across his face and he flung himself at the redhead, hugging her tightly “ **Asante**!” (thank you!) he chimed. “Um, you’re welcome?”

“ **Asante sana. Mimi alikuwa anaenda kuona baba yangu na rafiki yangu, Nala, wakati watu wake na Wengine got katika vita! Mimi tripped na akaanguka chini hapa** ” (thank you so much. I was going to see my father with my friend, Nala, when his men and Others got in a fight! I tries to run but I tripped and fell down here.) he moved about animatedly as he told his saviour his story “ **Sikudhani mimi alikuwa anaenda kufanya hivyo, lakini basi wewe ilionyesha juu na mimi karibu risasi wewe na… oh mimi nina sorry, mimi karibu risasi wewe! Lakini wewe kuokolewa mimi. Kuwashukuru tena**.” (I didn't think I was going to make it, but then you showed up and I almost shot you and.... oh I'm sorry, I almost shot you! but you saved me. thank you again.) He bowed his head with a sorry look.

Anna simply nodded slowly “Yeah I have no idea what you just said Kid. Sorry”

The boy paused before pointing to his chest “Simba” he smiled “ **jina langu ni Simba** ” (my name is Simba)

“Simba” she repeated “Your name is Simba” the boy, Simba, nodded. Anna pointed to herself “I’m Anna”

“AN-na?” he tilted his head and she shook hers “No no, AH-na”

“AH-na?” he tried again and this time she nodded. “That’s right”

They both dove for cover as a truck screeched to a halt in the street “Damn it, we have company” she looked to Simba “Can you give me some cover, Simba?” he nodded and began to fire over their cover. One by one their attackers fell until only Anna and Simba remained standing. Anna smiled sadly at the boy and clapped him on the shoulder. “Good job kid. Now let’s get out of here” he nodded and hurried up the road. Anna stayed behind to catch her breath. A pipe cracked down on her shoulder, bringing her to her knees. She managed to roll and dodge another blow, knocking his legs out from under him. He pinned her down and the two struggled for the pipe with Anna constantly telling Elsa to back down.

Anna twisted the pipe in their grip and allowed ice to coat it, ending in a spear like tip which Anna then drove up through his throat and pushed him off. She blink in surprise when a small hand reached out to her “ **Ni wewe nzuri, Anna**?” (are you good, Anna?) she took his hand and slowly got to her feet “I’m okay Kid, I’m okay.”

Simba pulled her hand and lead her away through the back alleys, criss-crossing past buildings and rubble. Anna had barely noticed that the sun had risen until they were finally out of the shadows of the ruins. “Wow, I’ve been here that long?” she turned to Simba and kneeled down to his height. “Simba, things are going to get kind of crazy… well crazier than they already are. You should head home” she made a little house in her palm and when he nodded his understanding she hugged him tightly “Stay safe kiddo.” She ruffled his hair before he took off back into the back streets.

Once he was gone, she stood straight and made her way into the residential streets that Simba had led her to. Though, residential could hardly describe the state of the streets before her. It was utterly deserted save for the small handful of Pride members who patrolled the streets.

Quiet as anything, the redheaded agent made her way through the back streets knife in hand. Elsa was busy searching for the warlord, so the guards were Anna’s job to deal with. She was disgusted by the feel of the blood on her hands as her knife sunk into their bodies, years of intense training had taught her exactly where to strike. Quick and easy. “Any luck, Elsa?” she whispered as she lay a now dead man against the wall. Her head snapped up as she took off at a run “You found him?” she could feel uneasy ice prickling under her skin “Where? Two streets down. Show me!” the image of a stone building with tall solid walls filled her mind’s eye, as well the patrolling figures of twenty armed guards. “Got yourself a little fortress. Like some King.” She closed her eyes tightly.

This man had ordered massacres and assaults. This city, and several others were if the shambles because of the warlord Mufasa. He had attacked his own people when they were weak and scared and would continue to do so. She could feel Elsa’s anger mingling with her own, it was confusing sometimes, feeling both of their anger. Something didn’t seem right, hadn’t since she landed at basecamp. No time to think on it now. “Elsa, give me cover.” Ice spread out around her, ice dry as the desert around them. It spread and spread until a thick fog blanketed the streets.

The fog parted around her as she marched with purpose towards the compound. It was easy enough the reach the wall, far less easy to climb over it. Climbing had never been her strong suit but she managed the feat, eventually, and with all of the grace of a fawn on slick ice, landed on the other side. She regretted the denseness of the fog as she tried to make her way to the building without falling on her face, again.

Once she found the door, Elsa blew the fog away as spears of ice shot up from the floor pinning the six guards to the walls. There he was, Mufasa the Warlord. He looked confused, scared even. “What are you doing!?” his low orotund voice seemed to echo around the room “you murdered my men, butchered them! Murderer, monster!” Anna could feel the ice roaring through her veins and she could barely restrain the icy Entity as she drew her pistol up and leveled it. “The only murderer here, is you.” She ground out as she pulled the trigger once, twice. Over and over until the clip clicked empty.

The pistol clattered to the floor and she approached the riddled body, pulling out a small camera as she went, as well as clicking on the locator on her belt. After taking a few pictures Anna’s back went ridged. “ **Baba**?” (father?) she knew that voice. She turned slowly to see Simba with the most betrayed look she had ever seen upon his face. Behind Simba was another man with a hand clamped protectively over the boys shoulder. He shared the same sorrel skin but with inky black hair and gleaming emerald eyes with a scar running across one of them. “ **Baba**!” the boy cried again and then it hit her. Anna looked over her shoulder to the body of the Warlord “oh no” she breathed “He was your father, and I…… I killed” Anna’s voice was wobbly “Simba, please I didn’t know” her vision blurred through tears.

“ **Muuaji**!” (murderer) The boy cried as he hoisted his rifle up at fired at the woman who had saved him only hours before. The shield of ice went up before she could think twice and Anna crouched down behind it. Broken sobs soon replaced the ringing of gunfire, giving Anna the chance to limp out from behind the ice. Simba was sobbing into the chest of the man who now grinned in Anna’s direction and in that moment he looked more the warlord then the man who now lay dead behind her ever did. His eyes burned with the unbridled joy of victory as he mouthed “thank you”.

Then his face changed. Joy burned into rage, gratitude to hatred. “ **Muuaji**!” (assassin) his voice was taut as he shouted “ **Muuaji ana kuuawa ndugu yangu! Kuacha yake**!” he held Simba tighter as he narrowed his eyes at Anna “Run, Assassin. While you can” he sneered before shouting again “ **Kuacha yake**!” (an assassin has killed my brother! stop her!)

She barely makes it to the gates of the wall before she was spotted by the growing mob. Knives and rifles are pointed at her and shot are fired. Their voices rose in an outraged clamour that Anna could only guess were shouts for her life. “Back away!” she shouts as she presses her back against a door. No luck, she notes as the mobs draws around her. She didn’t want to hurt them, but they were leaving her no choice. “I said GET BACK!” the spears of ice that shoot up around her get the point across and give her just enough time to slip inside of the small hut and freeze the door, before the peoples outrage wins over their fear and they press on.

With shaky breathes, Anna falls to her knees and retches. “What have I done?” her voice was small “Oh god what have I done, Elsa!?” she was shaking fiercely, flinching at every bang on the door. “I am a monster.” With clawing fingers, Anna clutched to her chest, willing her heart to freeze, trying to wrestle control of the ice from Elsa. “Please, Elsa!” Anna sobbed, clawing at her chest “Let it end!” But Elsa wouldn’t give in. A gust of icy wind blew open the hatch in the roof and with much prodding, Anna climbed the ladder and onto the roof.

The streets below her were a sea of enraged faces, a swirling mass of hatred. Hatred for her. So distracted by her own self-loathing was she, that Anna didn’t hear the helicopter until the first wave of civilians that had managed to climb onto the roof had been mowed down by gunfire, and even after that she did register Kristoff’s voice until he had pulled her into the side door by the back of her shirt. The redhead took one last look into the crowd and her eyes zeroed in on Simba, standing on the top on the wall, screaming for her with tears streaming down his face.

* * *

Kristoff and Anna had been rushed to the Westergard Corp. private jet once they reached base camp and had taken off almost immediately. Their flight had taken well into the night and had been silent on Anna’s part but now she could see the shore out of her window. Almost home. Home, the thought of possibly just going back to her apartment and continuing on sickened her to no end and sent her mind reeling. A distraction, she needed a distraction.

Mindlessly, Anna reached for the remote and flicked on the TV to a random channel.

“We return now to update you on the growing situation. Mufasa Kiburi, the newly elected leader of a small African country just west of Kenya, was assassinated by rebel infiltrators earlier this morning. Vice president Taka Kiburi had this to say,” the image cut to a man standing in front of a candle lit memorial. The man, Taka, had inky black hair pulled into a neat pony tail, emerald eyes that shone with unshed tears, wearing a fresh suit with a tulip imprinted pin on the lapels. Anna recognised him instantly from the scar over his eye as the man who had told her to run. “My brother’s murder is a terrible tragedy; but the fates were partially on our side as my nephew, Simba, was recovered unharmed. For me it is a deep personal loss. So it is with a heavy heart that I rise to assume his role, as the leader of my people.

Yet, out of the ashes of this tragedy, we shall rise together to greet the dawning of a new era. An era that with the help of our kind and generous supports from the Westergard Corp will lead my country to a prosperous and glorious future!”

“They loved him” Anna breathed as she stood slowly “They chose him to lead them and they loved him and I killed him.” Suddenly she spun on Kristoff, ice sparking out around her “Why didn’t you tell me that he was their elected leader!?”

Kristoff stood defensively “Anna, I didn’t know! I swear on my life that I didn’t know! I would never do that to you, never use you like that.” His eyes darted about the cabin as ice began to coat the interior in a thick sheet. “Please, Anna calm down. You two are going to bring the whole plane down.”

“Liar” She snarled, crushing the frozen armrest in her grasp “You are just like everyone else, just looking for ways to use me. Money, research, experiments, a good laugh, but a weapon? I can’t believe I bought it. That you might have actually cared” her voice was so low it was almost a growl “and now there is innocent blood on my hands. No. No more.”

Kristoff made to reach out to her but thought better of it. His expression was one of great hurt as he asked “What do you mean no more?”

“I’m done, Agent Bjorgman. The CIA, the company, unit 4. All of it.” She snapped as she pointed her hand towards the emergency door “Elsa, get me the fuck out of here.” At her words, a blast of ice shot from her hand and bashed the door off and into the sky.

“Anna!” Kristoff shouted over the roar of the wind as he tried to hang on “You can’t just leave! Its treason! They will hunt you down like a dog, Anna!”

She was standing at the opening now “They have to catch me first!” with that she leapt from the plane, Elsa forming a protective bubble around her.

* * *

It was pouring rain by the time Anna managed to stumble into a town. She slid a couple of quarters into the first payphone she could find and dialed up the only person who she could talk to. Oaken.

“Yoo hoo, this is Dr. Oaken, my I ask who is calling?” The man sounded tired but she couldn’t blame him, it was late.

“Oaken, it’s Anna”

“Anna! Anna are you alright, what going on? Why aren’t you calling me from your home? Where are you?” the man panicked.

“I left, Oaken. I ran out, but I’m not sure if the only person I told will live to tell our superiors.”

“Anna, what did you do?”

“Tell them I quit, Oaken. Tell them that I am leaving the CIA, and I am not ever going back” with that she slammed the phone back onto its hook, gasping when a sheer coat of ice covered it. She had to get away, she thought as she ran off into the night.


	18. Hunted

It had been hours since the last person got out of the train car which housed the now sleeping runaway. Anna was curled up as small as she could in a seat in the back, her stolen coat and hoodie, both oversized, and pulled tightly around herself, the hood pulled low over her freckled face. It had been almost a week since her, almost literal, flight from the CIA and this looked to be her first proper sleep since. The train was warm and rocked in a comforting way that made her feel safe, and rain pattering against the windows was as soothing as a lullaby.

A chill took the air and she groan as she shifted in her seat, desperate to ignore the Entity that, if she wasn’t mistaken, was currently freezing her water. “Elsa” the redheads voice was thick with sleep “please, we have been running all day. Just let me sleep.” She could feel the inky tendrils of sleep slowly dragging her back down when the train shuddered to a halt. “Now what?” Anna ground out, flipping her hood up out of her eyes.

Two officers were making their way down the aisle, checking for passengers as they went. The pair of them seemed tense, their hands hovering other their pistols. Panic gripped her, scrambling to her feet and into the aisle. “Hey!” one of them called spurring Anna into a near run as their heavy footfalls echoed after her. Ice spread out from below her feet. “Not now, not now” she groaned “Keep it together Elsa. No slip ups, not now”. Her heart was hammering loudly in her chest. Loud, but not loud enough to cancel out the startled cry of one of the officers who had slipped on the now rapidly spreading ice.

“Conceal it” she ground out as the sliding door of the car she had just fled froze behind her “Don’t feel it.” One of the officers threw himself against the door, the cracking of ice caused Anna to job and she took off down the aisle of the new car. Her rapid footsteps were sure and steady as she ran across the ice. He eyes widen as a man in a thick coat bars her way. The commotion must have reached the far cars. “Move!” she snaps, suddenly feeling bitter “Step aside, this doesn’t concern you!” the man stood firm, head held high. A shattering sounded behind her and she knew she was running out of time, they had made it through her ice. “Please” she pleads and she began to take steady steps back. With no response, the redheaded fugitive was out of time. “Sorry” she whispered and she bolted forwards, tackling the man to the ground before scrambling off of him and down the hall.

“On the ground!” a deep voice echoes out from behind “Everybody on the ground!” The words had barely left his mouth when the shooting began, bullets ricocheting off of the sides of the car. “Jesus!” Anna gasped as she ducked into a washroom, slamming the lock home. “Get this door down! She aint getting past us again.”

“Shit” she pressed herself against the back wall. “Shit, shit, shit!” Her breathing came in short panicked pants as her eyes darted about. No window, no chance of safely making it out the door, her only chance of freedom lay above her. An air vent hummed away above her head. Slowly, Anna raised her shaking hands, feeling the ice slowly building up before it exploded upwards, knocking the vent, and a good chunk of the ceiling off and tumbling into the night. She barely managed to pull herself up before the door burst open and she was running again.

The rain that had been pelting the train was gone, replaced instead with swirling snow, so thick Anna could barely see the edges of the train. But she didn’t have to be able to see the edge, she told herself as she ran, as long as she could see the steel in front of her feet she would make it.

“Freeze!” Anna almost snorted at the man’s unintended, and entirely unaware, pun. Would have laughed if it weren’t for the three other officers scrambling their way out of the hole in the roof and up into the storm that was steadily picking up in intensity.

The first few bullets bounced harmlessly off of the ice wall that shot up in front of her, giving her a chance to turn and run, but the officers were nothing if not persistent. “Got her!” one cried, tackling her down. Instinct took hold, and her elbow flew back into the man’s ribs with a crack, sending him tumbling over and over, until with a scream of horror he vanished off of the side of the train, swallowed by the night. Seeing the fate of their comrade gave them pause as Anna scrambled to her feet. “Stay back!” she shouted over the howling of the wind, backing towards the edge “I just want to leave, I don’t want to have to hurt anyone else!”

Before they could even try to respond or retaliate, Anna flung herself from the edge of the train and down into the woods below. The only thing that stopped her from becoming a pile of shattered limbs upon the forest floor, was the hastily constructed shield of ice that surrounded her as she neared the trees. Tree branches snapped and shattered as she crashed to the forest floor, the protective ice crumbling to dust as she tumbled down the rocky hill and came to rest against the trunk of a vast sycamore. As she lay there, curled against the tree, she tried to collect herself and calm the storm that her panic had called into being. The winds died down and the falling snow slowed to a stop as the sound of the train faded into a distant memory, yet still Anna lay by the tree.

A light frost crawled over her shoulder, like a comforting hand on her back, melting and growing again in a circular pattern. Finally, Anna  allowed herself a small smile as she pulled herself to her feet, gripping the bark of the tree for support “Thanks, Elsa” she whispered “I really need to start listening to you… sorry” a pained look crossed her face “That man didn’t have to die. But dwelling on it won’t help, I know.” With a grunt, she pushed herself away from the tree and began to trudge through the snow that yet to begin its melt.

“It’s quiet out here” she pulled her sweater closer around herself as she glanced about nervously “I mean, we’re in the middle of a forest. Shouldn’t there be owls or wolves or… anything?” she nodded to herself “So why is it so quiet?”

Blinding light filtered through trees, followed another, and then another. “Shit” Anna breathed as she took off through the tree once more. With all of the shouting and the stray shots, it was all Anna could do to keep the ice reined in. All of the panic and fear roiling in her mind were hammering away at her years of training in control. She had lost it on the train, she couldn’t afford to lose it again.

The trees thinned out, giving way to a beach of pebbles and a rushing river. On a good day, she may have been able to make the crossing, that being if she were stronger. The runaway hadn’t had a proper meal since her mission and already she could feel exhaustion winning over the adrenaline in her veins. Anna could hear the shouting growing steadily closer and her decision was made for her. “Don’t let me down, Elsa” she closed her eyes tightly and began running towards the river. Only when she heard her boots hitting solid ice did she open her eyes. Where ever her feet touched, ice bloomed out in Elsa’s signature snowflake, taming the rapids and freezing them solid.

Anna stood on the opposite shore and glared at the ice she had made. Sure, it had given her a bridge to possible freedom, but she realized her foolishness when the ice would not melt to her will. If the bridge remained, her pursuers would catch up with her with ease. She ground her teeth together as a plan fell into her mind and she made her ways back into the trees to wait.

The first officers seemed scared by the ice, and rightly so, it was late summer and by all logic the ice was impossible. But soon enough one was brave enough to step out onto it. The poor soul only made it five feet, a few other trailing behind, before the ice began to crack and shatter. Most of them managed to make it back to shore but the few unlucky enough to have made it further across were swept away by the now free water. “Regroup! Back to the van!” others took up the call and they made their way back into the trees.

Her breath came in raspy pants as she continued her trek. “Three to the river” she shook her head “But it scared them off… Maybe they’ll be smart enough the leave now” she knew she was hoping against hope but what else did she have left. Once again the forest was peaceful, she almost forgot she was being hunted. She would have loved to have forgotten, but they were making it difficult for her.

The snapping of a twig caused her to spin around as two dogs snarled their way through the underbrush. “Dogs now?” she backed up slowly “Why did they have to send dogs now? How the hell did they get here so fast?” Anna pulled up a shield of ice as fast as she could but the dogs were faster, dodging around it to lunge at her. A quick burst of ice dealt with one, striking its chest and sending it yelping into the woods, but not before the second one latched itself onto her leg. She cried out as she fell to the ground, kicking wildly at the beasts head to shake it off. Failing at that, Anna allowed ice to coat her fist and arm and swung, striking the dog hard across the head. She winced in sympathy when she heard the crack of the poor things jaw as it was forced to let go, the force of the blow sending it tumbling trough the dirt.

Avoiding looking at the dog, Anna began to limp her way through the woods. The trees thinned out once more and through their branches she could see the highway. Freedom lay along that road, she knew it, but nothing could be that easy. Just down the road was a small road block of two cruisers and a motorbike. Eyeing the bike greedily, Anna moved through the trees towards the block. A two minute distraction, which was all she needed. With practiced precision, Anna allowed Elsa to channel the ice through the finger into a small needle that shot deep into the front tire of the far cruiser, causing it to pop with a loud bang. “Jesus!” one of the cops cried out in alarm “What the hell was that!?” The other two hurried over to him “Everything alright, Charlie?” “Yeah, but the damn tire blew” “How in the hell did that happen?”

As the three back water cops continued to bicker about the logistics of a self-popping tire, Anna broke from the tree line and made a mad dash for the motorcycle. Her leg throbbed painfully, but she suffered through it as she climbed atop and turned the key. “Hey!” one of them called but she was already blazing down the highway. Even through the terror of her situation, Anna couldn’t help the exhilarated whoop of excitement that slipped from her lips, it had been far too long since she had the chance to ride.

But her excitement was short lived when the bridge that crossed the river into view. Several armored SWAT vans blocked her path along with a good twenty armed SWAT members, their rifles aimed in her direction. In their center stood a large man with a long pointed nose and a wolfish grin, his yellowed eyes gleamed even with the flood lights. “End of the Line!” he bellowed as Anna skidded to a stop “Hold steady.” Anna took a gulping breath as she revved the engine “We don’t have any other choice, Elsa, we have to go straight through.” Another rev “Cover me, Els!” Tires squealed as the bike launched forward towards the centre of the blockage. Walls of ice shot up to shield the redhead from the barrage of bullets, before pressing forward to violently push all obstacles from her path, be they man of machine. She looked back long enough to see them scrambling to their feet before speeding off.

“This is Rainault, we missed her. I repeat, we missed her. She’s making way to New Nottingham”

Anna rode into the small town that bordered along the forest. She had allowed a feeling of ease to settle over her as she rode along, and that would prove to be her folly as a bullet from a rooftop sniper tore through the front tire, sending the small woman crashing to the ground as the bike flipped, throwing her off. She let out a shriek of pain as her already injured leg collided with the asphalt as she tumbled. “Damn it” she gasped, clutching leg. Black spots filled her vision as she struggled to her feet, blooming back with every step she took. Another shot near her head sent her lunging for cover behind a car. “This is Officer Rainault! We have you surrounded! Come out with your hands up!” the yellow eyed man spoke through a megaphone to be heard over the sound of the helicopters that now circled above the street. “Damn it, damn it, damn it!” she chanted quietly. “There can’t be just one of them. There has to be more. We can’t go back Elsa. It can’t end here. Get us out, Elsa”

* * *

_Anna wanted to be free, and Elsa would free her. She drifted up slowly as the air began to get colder and colder._

_She started with the sniper that had caused Anna to crash. Anna, her Anna, had been hurt because of this man. His hands and arms froze over, and his cries silenced by the freezing of his tongue. With careful aim, Elsa moved the man’s frozen fingers to pull the trigger. She only managed to take down two before the sniper was spotted and shot down from his perch._

_The next two she froze solid, passing through their hearts. She could hear the panic settling in as she moved from victim to victim.  She froze over the wheels of one of the vans and sent it hurtling into a gas station, the resulting explosion sent the men scattering for cover. Her chaos gave Anna the cover that she needed to find shelter as she called Elsa back._

_“_ I can’t get the door open, Elsa. Break the lock, hurry _!” Anna pleaded with her as she desperately tried to get the door open. It was an easy enough feat to shatter the doors lock. All it took was enough ice to weaken it and a strong enough hit from Anna and they were in._

* * *

Anna slammed the door closed and pressed her hands flat against it as Elsa sealed it shut. She slid to her knees as her shoulders shook with a few quiet sobs. “They’re never going to give up, are they Elsa?” She ran the back of her hand across her eyes, expecting tears, but not being surprised when she found none “They will never stop… not unless we make them” she took a few calming breathes as she took. She could hear that man, Officer Rainault, ordering the remaining men into position outside.

Her eyes narrowed as she stood straight “We won’t be getting back out this door, not while they are all still out there. We have to take things into our own hands, do what has to be done to ensure our freedom. It’s our right, and we have been denied it for too long. Not anymore. It’s time to grow up and take charge.” she clenched her fist till her knuckles were white. “You know what we have to do, Elsa” Anna glanced up to where she knew Elsa was waiting. “We will walk out these doors. They came here for a fight, and it is a fight they will get. Take care of them Elsa.”

* * *

_Elsa once again left Anna’s side, soars up, yanking their tether till it hurt, but still she continued. The helicopters were their main obstacle and she had every intention of taking them out._

_She drifted into the nearest one and swirled around the pilot’s hands, freezing them as she had his comrades and taking control of the helicopter._ “Mayday! Mayday!” _he cried into the radio but it was too late. The helicopter veered sharply to the left rotors slashing through the tail of the second one. Cries of terror filled the air as ice covered the sides as the pair crashed to the ground in a ball of fire._

* * *

As Anna pushed open the doors of the theatre she had sheltered in she knew she had changed, and as she looked upon the fiery scene before she found that she was no longer horrified with herself, and she hated it. “They made us do this, Elsa” she said, her voice flat “As long as we remember that, it will shield us from regret” even as she said it she couldn’t bring herself to truly believe it.

A grunt of pain pulled her out of her thoughts and she turned to see Rainault crawling away. Anger flashed in her eyes as she limped towards him, snow swirling up behind her in the shadowy shape of a taller woman. He would carry her message back, he would be her salvation. She stormed up alongside him and grabbed a hold of his vest to hold him still as he glared up at her, almost like he was daring her to strike him. “You go back, and you tell them all, to Leave. Me. The FUCK, Alone!” she ground out slowly “Because next time” Anna looked back to the flurried woman for support before finishing her sentence “I, no, we will kill everyone.”

She let go, allowing Rainault to fall roughly back to the pavement before hobbling away, swathed in a comforting frost embrace.


	19. Homeless part 1

Snow fell slowly from the sky, adding to the rapidly growing piles in the city streets. The dim street lights lit up nothing but clean snow and empty streets and the city seemed almost abandoned, save for one lone figure stumbling her way through the snow after pulling herself away from the sheltered warmth of a covered doorway.

Summer had come and gone quickly, and thankfully, quietly and Anna had managed to put a great deal of distance between herself and her last spotting in New Nottingham. All had not been well for the fleeing young woman. With each passing day she had felt her already fragile control on Elsa’s powers slipping. Her hair had grown dull and her face ashen, eyes that had once shown a bright teal had lost their gleam to a dull haunted blue. Her gloved hands pulled her scarf tighter around her face with her gloved hands in a desperate attempt to gain some semblance of comfort in the freezing cold.

The light above her flickered as she came to a stop in front of a payphone. She regarded it curiously as she swayed weakly, trying to clear the fog from her mind. In the pockets of her tattered jacket she found two quarters. She could do it, call him. It had been ages since she had last spoken to him, actually truly spoken to him. As Anna lifted the phone from the receiver and deposited the coins she couldn’t help but wonder if he would even remember her. With a shaky hand she managed to dial the number, fighting back the fog of her mind. “Please be awake. I need you” she breathed.

After what felt like ages to the freezing woman, the ringing stopped and a voice filtered through the earpiece “Hello? Hello who is this?” A sob escaped her with a smile, she would recognise his accent anywhere, so ingrained into her mind it was. His voice had always been one that brought her comfort. “Oaken” she breathed out with a sigh.

“My God! Anna! Anna is that you?” panic and hope filled his voice and Anna allowed a small smile to grace her tired face. He did remember her after all. “Anna, where are you? Anna, please. Speak to me! ANNA!”

“I’m so tired Oaken” her voice cracked as she spoke, it was hoarse from lack of use and carried a brittle tone. “And I don’t think I have ever been so hungry.” Clutching to the phone like a lifeline she continued “I’m scared Oaken, I’m so….. So fucking scared. I’m cold” a pause “For the first time, I feel cold and it’s scary. Elsa can’t protect me, she’s getting weak to. She can’t shield me from the cold.”

When she fell quiet Oaken tried to speak again “Anna, I don’t understand. Tell me what is happening.”

“They’re back” she breathed “The Entities, like the ones from back then. Angry and hateful. They are trying to separate us, Oaken. Covering me, suffocating me. They are attacking our tether. It hurts, Oaken. It hurts so much and I can feel my connection to Elsa weakening. I don’t want her to be lost, Oaken. She shouldn’t be alone.”

She could hear something clattering to the ground and guessed that Oaken had jumped from his seat. “Where are you, Anna? Tell me where you are! I can help you, just please, tell me where you are! I couldn’t save them, but I can try to save you! I will come to you, I will protect you!” his voice was thick. “Thank you, Oaken, but it’s too late for me to be saved. Good bye.” As she was hanging up the phone, she could hear him screaming on the other end “Anna! No! Don’t hang up on me! WHERE ARE YOU!? ANNA!” the gentle click of the phone silenced him.

The world tilted as she turned and Anna had to grab hold of the phone while her vision cleared. “I’m sorry, Elsa. I should have tried harder for you” she mumbled as she staggered out of the light and down the street. Her feet felt heavy, impossibly so, and she only made it a few feet from the light before darkness filled her vision and she gave into the cold, falling into the snow.

* * *

_Elsa sent small bursts of snow at the shadowy Entities that clung to her host. They let go, but only for a moment before they descended upon her again. Even unconscious, pain was written clearly across Anna’s face. Brittle spikes of ice rose up around her._

_A clinking sound from an ally not far from them drew her attention. Slowly she drifted closer and peered into the ally. A man in raggedy cloths stood at a dumpster, rooting through and placing bits of clothing and scrapes of food into the cart at his side. He didn’t look like the violent sort, but fear gripped her all the same. This man could be their salvation, or at the very least, Anna’s, or he could do her great harm._

_Time was running out as Elsa could feel her Anna’s life slipping away. She had no choice but to trust this stranger. For the hundredth time, Elsa cursed her lack of speech. Things would have been so much easier is Anna were not the only person who could hear her._

_Then, an idea. Using what little strength she had left, Elsa summoned a small gust of wind down the alley. The man’s hat flew from the top of his head and tumbled towards the entrance._

* * *

He spun around on confusion “What was that?” as he went to scoop it up, another gust sent it tumbling down the sidewalk where it became stuck on a lump in the snow. “What in the world” the man squinted as he approached the lump. It didn’t take long for him to realize that under that light covering of snow, was a person.

With a gasp he rushed to their side, sliding to his knees next to them. His hands shook as he pulled the body into his lap, gently brushing snow from her red hair. A girl, freezing cold to the touch. “No, no please no” he whispered. He couldn’t see the rise and fall oh her chest to indicate her breathing, so with bated breath he pressed two fingers to her pulse point. He furrowed his russet brows as he waited “Come on, Kid.” He pressed down a little harder, and he felt it. The girl pulse, faint and weak, but there.

After placing his hat on her head, he tucked an arm under her legs and his other behind her back and lifted her up slowly. He held her close to his chest as he hurried off down the street, desperate to get the girl back to his home.

* * *

It was hot, far too hot, fire raged around her. She could feel Elsa trying to protect her, but the ice just wasn’t enough. “ANNA!” someone was calling for her but they seemed so distant. A blurring face swam into view, followed by another “She’s burning up” a woman’s voice. “I know. Come on, Red, drink this” and a man. The fire rushed back and she was burning. Elsa was screeching with the pain they shared. Anna felt like she was burning alive and then suddenly, nothing.

Her eyes opened slowly, drawing a gasp from the copper skinned woman who had been holding a cloth to her head. “Dodger!” she called urgently “Dodger, I think she’s waking up!” When Anna finally managed to fully open her eyes, the man, Dodger, was next to her “Hey Red, you had us worried” he spoke with a light accent that she couldn’t quiet place. New York. Maybe? “How long have I been out?” Anna croaked. The woman frowned “Two days. There were a few times that we weren’t too sure is you were gunna make it.”

Dodger squeezed her shoulder “But you’re awake now, so you’re out of the worst of it” he said before motioning over his shoulder “We’ll let you get your bearings. Come warm up by the fire when you feel well enough. Come on, Rita” and the two left her.

Slowly, Anna pushed herself up into a sitting position, leaning on her elbows. She was on a dingy mattress that had been laid out over a piece of plywood. Makeshift walls of tin siding had been set up around the mattress. As she examined the small room, her eyes fell upon a small box, tucked away behind a pallet. Anna pulled the box towards her and upon removing the lid, found nothing but a small collection of dingy photographs. In all of them were the same two men. Even through the layer of dust, she could pick out Dodgers rust coloured hair but the other man was a complete stranger. Taller than Dodger, he shared his hair, and while Dodger looked relatively the same in each picture the other man seemed to get steadily more thin and ill looking.

After a time, Anna replaced the box and slowly stood. Her legs were shaking but she wasn’t all that surprised. Even before her two days out, she hadn’t had any rest or food. Her unsteady feet carried her beyond the tin walls and out into what seemed to be an old warehouse, with similar tin rooms set up around its walls, a total of five others. There warehouse itself had clearly seen better days if the glassless windows and gaping house in the roof were any indication.

Just outside of the tin shack she had come out of was a fire pit surrounded by tattered old arm chair and a couch, it was here that Dodger and the copper skinned woman were sitting. The woman smiled and held a steaming can out towards Anna “Come get warmed up by the fire, get some food into you”.  Hesitantly, Anna walked over and settled herself back down of the couch, taking the can as she went. Though it was just a simple can of baked beans, it was one of the best things Anna had ever eaten and she ate ravenously from the can, ignoring the sad smiles from the two across from her.

It was only after she had finished cleaning the can of any remaining sauce that Dodger spoke, slowly eating from his own can. “So, Red” he cleared his throat “You got a name, or should I just keep calling you red?” Anna regarded him a moment with dim eyes before replying “An-Joan. My name is Joan” she instantly regretted the lie, she didn’t deserve the use the name of the heroic woman whom she had once looked up to, not anymore “But Red… Red will do just fine.”

He nodded “Alright, Red it is. How long have you been on the streets?” Anna scrunched her shoulders up to her ears “Three months, at least… all of the days kind of… blur together.” Dodger nodded knowingly “I know that feeling, Red. It’s been three years for me, and Rita here has been street surfing sine she was your age.”

“Younger, probably” Rita interjected, turning her deep brown eyes to Anna “You’re lucky Dodger found you, he’s been making a habit of bringing in strays” she meant it as a term of endearment “Just last year he took in a little boy, helped him find a home. Come to think of it he had red hair to” she chuckled “must have been fate for the both of you.” Anna’s recently permanent frown deepened and she pulled her knees tight to her chest “She should have just left me out there. You both would have been better off if I had just froze.” She mumbled as she flexed her gloved hands, feeling a thin layer of ice crack beneath the fabric “You both would have been safer.”

Now it was Dodgers turn to frown. “Now you listen here, and listen well. I know the feeling of wanting to just end it all, all of here do, but believe me when I say, it is not worth it. You only get one life, Red, and it’s up to you to make the best of what get thrown at you and learn to make your own place. I mean, just look at the lot of us” he waved his arm to draw her attention the other occupants of the warehouse.

“Over there, that’s Tito” he motioned to a skinny Hispanic boy with wild mousy brown hair “A little bundle of spunk that one, the drugs don’t help, but we try to keep him clean, tends to make him a bit testy but on a good day he can make the best music.” Next he motioned to an older man with grey hair and a shaggy beard “That’s Einstein, but just call him Ernie. He used to be a teacher. Debts caught up to him and well… he lost everything. I found him a couple months ago. Math and history, that’s what he taught. Still teaches us a thing or two when he’s sober enough. And the little bald man over there, that Francis. He thinks himself an actor, which can come quite in handy.” Lastly he pointed to a young woman with a swollen belly and short white blonde hair “She’s the newest addition to our little family, aside from you, Red. Calls herself Duchess, for safety reason. She pregnant, shouldn’t be too long now. Her boyfriend disappeared and she thought her father had somethin’ to do with it, she took off too. Sweetest most well manner girl I ever met. But that’s us, we’re all here just livin’ day to day. Gettin’ by on what little we have. We found out place and found a happiness of sorts. The worlds not all bad, Red, as long as you know where to look.”

There was a long pause before Anna nodded and stood up “Thank you…. I think I really needed that.” She thanked them both again before turning and making her way towards the main door of the small warehouse. “Oh! You’re awake” a quiet cheery voice drew her attention over to Duchess, who was setting down on a lawn chair outside of her tin shack “We were all really worried for you” she continued as Anna approached her. “I’m really glad that you made it.” With all of the grace she could gather, she finally managed to sit down. Anna’s eyes zeroed in on the swell younger woman’s belly, unaware of her staring. Duchess merely smiled “Do you want to feel? She hasn’t been very active lately but, you can.” She voice was so sweet. “No, I really shouldn’t” Anna only realized how close she had gotten to the other woman when her wrist was suddenly grasped by the blondes dainty hand. “Nonsense.” She smile just as sweet as she pulled Anna’s hand against her belly.

The redhead felt panic well up in her chest at the sudden contact. All her thoughts flew to the worst possible outcome. She was going to freeze this expecting mother, she was going to kill her unborn child, and she could feel Elsa panicking just as much. She squeezes her eyes shot tight, ready for the screams of horror. What she was not ready for was the gentle kick against her palm, followed by another stronger kick. “She must like you” Duchess’ calm voice pulled Anna from her remaining panic and she opened her eyes to feel another small kick. Tears pricked at her eyes and she could feel something that she hadn’t felt in so long blooming in her chest. Hope. But as quickly as it began, Anna crushed it down, pulling her hand away. One isolated lack of ice did not make her safe. What started as slowly backing up, turned to Anna running away and out the door. “She would never be stable again, of that she was sure. It had to end. It all had to end.

On her way out, she passed a tire with a dulled knife driven into it. With a grunt of effort, she pulled it free and continued on her way outside. The warehouse was built up on a raised dock that over looked the frozen waters of the city. Distantly, she noticed that the feeling of cold was gone. She was back to the dull nothing that she had grown used it, and with this in mind she sat down in a snow bank.

The dim sunlight glinted off of the blade as she leveled it against her wrist. Blinking back her tears, Anna made to make a clean cut through her wrist, but her wrist was shielded by a bloom of thick ice that melted quickly. Again and again she tried to make that first cut, and again and again the ice blocked the blade away from her pale skin. “Damn it!” Anna growled as she scrambled to her feet, lifting the blade high, with the intent of plunging it into her cold heart, but as the blade came down, a shaft of ice shot up to intersect, sending the knife flying out of her grasp and onto the lake.

“WHY!?” Anna was furious now “Why won’t you let me just end it all, Elsa? I can’t live like this anymore! All of the guilt, the regret. All of the fear. It would be bad enough if it was just mine, but I have to feel for the both of us! I am just one person, Elsa. I wasn’t meant for this. So why won’t you just let me leave and finally stop fighting!? WHY! Answer me, Why, Elsa!” Tears rolled freely down her face and her shook with silent sobs. “I never wanted this.”

“Hey, Red” Dodger’s voice startled Anna and she spun around to face him, clutching her now rapidly beating heart. He chuckled “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He grinned as he stuffed his hands into his pockets. “We’re um… we’re running low on food, we gotta get more or we’ll all starve, and everyone pulls their weight in the warehouse. So if you’re goin’ to stay with us, you’re goin’ to have to help us get some food.” A new set of feet crunching through the snow alerted them to Rita as she walked out to join the pair “Shouldn’t be too hard for you, Red. These can be streets on gold, Honey, if you just do as you’re told. Dodger and I, well, we make an art of staying alive” she smirked as she nodded for Anna to follow them “Come and see how the best survive.” Anna’s eyes darted about as the two began to walk off before reluctantly hurrying after them.

The city seemed a totally different place to Anna. Its streets plowed and filled with the early morning commuters, she could see why people would choose to stay here, even after they had lost it all.

The trio had opted out of making their way into the busier downtown areas, staying portside for Anna’s sake, Rita didn’t want to throw too much at the poor girl in one day. “Well, this is where I leave you two” Rita turned and smirked at the two redheads. “Remember what I told you, Red.” Anna nodded “Play it brave and bold.” Her voice was sounding stronger already, and after the half hour walk with the two she felt a little more comfortable being so close to them. She even managed not to flinch too much when Rita ruffled her wild hair. “I’ll see you two later!” she called over her shoulder before disappearing into the passing crowd.

Dodger and Anna continued on down the road until Dodger stopped and slumped down against the wall, eyes scanning the crowd. “What now?” Anna questioned, crouching down next to him. “We wait.” He grinned at her “Wait for opportunity. It’s easier to get a quick buck in the summer, seein’ as how people aren’t all bundled up—“ he held his hands out as a woman hurried past “—spare change?” he smiled gratefully when she dropped a few coins into his waiting palms. “So when you can’t take, you beg?” Dodger silenced her with a light glare “If I relied solely on the generosity of others, I’d be dead. I take what I need and move on. It’s how I’ve survived, Red. Besides, we only take what we need. We can’t afford to be greedy. Five dollars. That’s my goal for the day.”

“Alright” Anna grunted as she stood up. “Where are you goin’, Red?” Dodger called after her. “I figured we’d make more if we split up. I’ll see you later, I owe you that much.”

As little as she had liked it, Dodger had saved her twice now and she owed him something for his trouble. So down the street she walked, dull, tired eyes peeled for any opportunity. “Hey, Ginger” a gruff voice calls from the entrance of an alley. He looked her up and down, eyeing her like a piece of meat “Looking to make a little cash?” when Anna nodded slowly he grinned “I’m glad to hear that. I need a favour down and you look just the sort for the job.” His smile was sickening, and she was sure she had seen a smile like that before, but Anna tried to ignore it as she asked “What sort of favour?” His grin widened as he leaned closer to her “Well, you and me, we take a little walk down this alley here for a little privacy and you simply have to take care of a little itch I got” his hands moved suspiciously in the pockets of his jeans as he spoke “Scratch my itch, Ginger, and you make an easy ten bucks.” Anna was repulsed, memories of the bar flashed to the forefront of her mind and she took an instinctive step back. “No. No I will not go down that road.” She snapped at him, turning to leave.

A firm hand wrapped tightly around her arm, yanking her back. “Let me go. Or else” her voice was dangerously low as she glared at him. The man sneered and yanked her arm back again “Think you’re better than the rest of them, do you? What’s wrong? You’re desperate, aren’t you? Well come on then!”

It happened faster than he could blink. He had been holding her tight, dragging her smaller frame back, then the pain of cold like he had never known raced up his arm. He pulled his arm back, cradling it to his chest, hissing in pain. “What the hell did you do you little bitch!?” he snapped. “I warned you” Anna practically growled out before turning on her heel and taking off down the street. “Thank you, Elsa” she whispered when she felt safe enough “I’m sorry about earlier…. I was—“she clenched her fists “—I was weak. I’ll make it up to you.”

A sound that could only be described as something strangling a dozen cats, grated against Anna’s eyes. Her search for its source lead to a shabbily dressed teen perched on a milk crate, attempting to tune a guitar. As she approached, Anna tried to someone all of her remaining kindness ask she addressed him “you sound like you’re trying to kill a cat, may I?” well it was a good effort she told herself. “Uhmm, sure?” he looked down to the snowy sidewalk as he handed her what was surly his only possession.

She made herself comfortable on the crate next to him, shooting the boy an apologetic smile before she set to work. He had made a right mess of it but with a great deal of effort, Anna managed to get it back into tune. It felt good to have a guitar in her hands again, she hadn’t played since her years with Oaken, but the rhythm came quickly to her and soon she was humming along, and then, she opened her mouth and sang.

_"Sadness swirls within me like the snow,_

_I've frozen out the only friend I'll ever know,_

_There's no way I can win,_

_But I wish that I had been there for you long ago,_

_Life's too short--"_

People stopped and listened, occasionally dropping some change into the open guitar case. Anna sang and sang, growing louder and more comfortably with each pass of the song. The boy at her side picked up the beat and lyrics quick enough, and soon the pair of them were singing the sorrowful song in rounds and harmonies, steadily growing more and more attention.

"-- _To be such an oblivious fool,_

_So reckless that I couldn't see,_

_Life's too short to be so desperate to be loved,_

_That I only ever thought of me,_

_I wish I saw things clearly,_

_I guess I'm just not the sort,_

_Now all I know,_

_Is life's too short."_

For the first time in months, Anna smiled, really truly smiled. She could see this as her life and even Elsa seemed content and calm, sending small swirls of gentle snow around the singers. A simple, peaceful life with no more running or fighting or the self-pity that had gotten her nowhere.

It was only when the sun began to dip below the skyline that Anna stopped playing. She shared another bright smile with the boy as she handed him back his guitar, her heart soaring when, once again, there was no burst of ice. “Make sure to take good care of it” she warned him before looking to the small pile of money. “Fifty-fifty?” he asked and she nodded “Fifty-fifty.” With the money divided, Anna hurried off down the street to meet back up with Dodger.

“How’d you make out, Dodger?” Anna called as when she finally found him. “Four dollars, a subway token and a pack of mints” he replied, popping one of said mints into his mouth “not the best day ever, but not an entirely bad day either. What about you, Red?” Anna couldn’t stop the grin that slowly stretched across her face as she pulled out the small wad of cash “I guess you could say that I did alright for my first day.”

Dodgers face was stern as he crouched down to her height, looking her dead in the eyes “How did you manage that? What did you do?” he sounded worried, but quickly realized that he may have spoken to harshly and backpedalled “Look, I’m sorry. I just don’t want you to do anything that you’ll regret. But trust me, Red, I won’t judge you. Okay?” Her gaze was on her boots as her mumbled “I bored some guy’s guitar and we busked all day. I didn’t do—“her explanation was cut short and her body went rigid as the man pulled her into a tight hug. So many warning were firing off in her brain that all Anna could do was stand stiff as a board, hoping that she didn’t freeze her saviour.

“Thank you, Red” he smiled as he took the money, pooling it with his own “you just wait here, I’m going to run over and buy us some food. Jesus, we have enough here to feed everyone a good meal.” He laughed as he hurried across the street to a small store, leaving Anna alone to register what had just happened.

Sharp, cackling laughter pulled Anna’s attention across the street. Three teens were circling slowly around Dodger, corralling him away from the store. They all wore heavily patched jackets and black boots. “Come on, Ed! Give the Bum a shove!” a feminine voice cheered “Yea, Ed, Get him on the ground!” Dodger hadn’t even hit the ground before Anna was charging across the street. “Hey!” she snapped as she pulled the one they had called Ed off of Dodger “Get off of him!” she snarled standing protectively in front of Dodger as he stood.

The girl who seemed to be the leader of the group, lifted a small camcorder and laughed “Aww look at that boys, the Bums got a girlfriend” she sneered, drawing laughs from the two. Her eyes narrowed dangerously “Bonzi, Ed, take her down.”

She blocked away their first attempted attacks with ease. They were sloppy and uncoordinated, swinging wildly at her. Anna dodged and ducked, dancing away from their blow. She didn’t want to really want to have to hurt them, but they were leaving her no choice. Distracted by Ed, she didn’t notice Bonzi swinging a bat at her until it struck her stomach. She didn’t think that she had ever been more thankful for Elsa then when it came to her protecting her, as a small shield of ice took the brunt of the blow. She grabbed hold of the weapon and tugged hard, pulling Bonzi close enough that she could bash her forehead against his own, sending him tumbling back. With Ed, she managed to grab the back of his jacket and pulled him over as her knee flew up into his rather flabby belly.

With the boys taken care of, Anna took slow, purposeful steps towards their leader. She snatched any the camera and allowed frost to cover it slowly before she crushed it, tossing it to their feet. “No one will believe you” she growled out “Now get the hell out of here.” Bonzi was the first to rush past her “Shenzi, let’s get out of here! This bitch is crazy!” Shenzi ground her teeth together as she pulled Ed to his feet “You haven’t seen the last of us” she shouted as she took off after her comrade.

Dodged was staring at her, jaw slack, clutching his retrieved groceries? “How did you do that? It was two against one!” he stammered out “Two big thugs against one severely malnourished girl! Just, just how?”

Anna simply shrugged and slung Dodgers arm over her shoulder so that she could be his crutch “I learned how to fight in the army.” She took the bag from him as they started walking. “Come on Dodger, let’s get you home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own the lyrics used in this chapter.   
> Life's too short (reprise) owned by Disney, unused song from Frozen


	20. Homeless part 2

“Dodger!” the pair of redheads had barely set foot in the warehouse before Rita pounced the battered man “You had me worried sick!” she growled angrily as her thumb grazed across his steadily blackening eye “Oh Dodge, what the hell happened to you this time?” Dodger simply grinned “You shouldn’t worry so much, Rita, I can take care of myself” Behind him, Anna snorted a small laugh and he shot her a playful glare before returning his attention to Rita. “Gather everyone up at my fire” he held up the heavy grocery bags “Tonight, we eat like kings!”

It didn’t take long for word of a good hot meal to spread throughout the warehouse, and soon everyone was seated together around the low barrel fire, eating the best meal any of them had had in months. “Eh, Dodger” Tito spoke from where he sat shaking on the dusty floor “Who gave you that shiner there, amigo?” A winning smirk broke across his face “What, this little thing? This is nothing. Seriously, you should have seen the other guys” the group broke into a raucous bout of laughter “No guys, I’m serious! You should have seen how Red here took them on! Odds were stacked against her, I mean these guys were twice her size! But she smacked them down like it was nothing! And look at her, barely a scratch on her!” Anna stared down into her chipped mug of soup, warmth blooming across her cheeks “It was nothing, really. Those two couldn’t fight their way out of a paper bag.” Dodger gripped her shoulder tightly and looked at her, brown eyes boring into teals “It was not nothin’, Red. If you weren’t there, I might not have ever made it back home. Thank you.” Anna blushed brighter, her shoulders scrunching up to her ears “You’re welcome” she whispered back.

They ate in silence for a long while. Not an awkward silence, but a rather comfortable one. Anna was struck by just how much of a family they all seemed to be. Each caring and helping the other. It was what she had always wanted. She wanted this. This place, these people. A lazy smile spread across her face as she looked to Duchess. “How’s the baby?” she asked, placing her empty mug on the floor. A shadow crossed over her face as she crossed her arms protectively around her swollen belly “She hasn’t kicked since this morning. I’m worried. She’s all I have left of him.” With that she curled in on herself, allowing Francis to pull her into his side.

“Don’t worry yourself, Red” Dodger spoke in her ear “She’s a little sensitive.” Anna nodded slowly looked back to Dodger “What about you, are your ribs okay?” he nodded in response “I’m made of thicker stuff, I won’t break that easy.”, “Have you ever seen them before?” Dodger shook his head “Nah, never. Just a gang of lowlife punks looking for a fight. Cities full of ‘em, but you get used to them.”

“Camera and wild hair? Laugh like a pack of hyenas?” Ernie spoke up, looking across at them over the lip of his bottle, when Dodge nodded be continued “I’ve seen them” he pat his knee “I still haven’t healed up from when I ran into them.”

“What about you, my dear?” Francis asks, his voice thick with a forced Oxford accent, ever the actor, “Rita here tells us that you have been, brought up to speed on our unhappy happenstances, yet we know not a thing of yours. So tell us, what has caused a brave defender of the weak, such as yourself, to this lowly state?” Anna’s fists clench tightly against her legs “I have done some things that I am not proud of. I’m no defender, far from it. The opposite really.” She ground out. Rita was by her side in moments, gently rubbing her back “It’s alright, Sugar. You’ll find no judgement here. You’re among friends now.” All the while, Dodger looked on knowingly.

“Okay” her voice was small as she spoke, “All of my life I have been connected to this spirit. She has always been with me, but because of her, I have been forced to do many terrible things. I decided that enough was enough and I ran, and so here I am.” The following silence lasted for only a moment before both Francis and Ernie burst out laughing. “And people think we’re crazy, eh Ernie?” the little bald man chuckled. Ernie nodded and whooped “it looks like Tito isn’t the only one on drugs here!” the duo continued laughing and joking until a pair and hostile glared from Dodger and Rita silenced them, but by then, Anna was already staring into the fire, absently picking away at her prepackaged sandwich of deli meat and too much mustard.

When her sandwich was all but crumbs, Anna stood and stalked around the fire. She kneeled down before him and placed a hand on either side of his injured knee. ‘Elsa, help him out’ the air cooled around them and for a brief moment the cold around Ernie’s knee was painful and then, nothing. He bent his knee experimentally before his jaw dropped “The pains gone. Like it was never there!” Everyone had stopped eating and was now staring at Anna. ‘Well’ she thought ‘since we’ve started this whole healing routine, we might as well finish it.’ Slowly, she scooted over to sit on the floor before Duchess. “The spirit, her name is Elsa. She can do many wonderful things.” She spoke only to Duchess as she lay her hand against her belly “relax” she breathed, more to herself then the trembling woman. She closed her eyes and smiled as a gently thump, thump beat in her ears. “I can hear her heart, Duchess, steady and strong, like a drum.” She looked up to see that Duchess was crying “Elsa she’s that she seems healthy, as far as she can tell, if that counts for anything.” Anna let out s gasp when she was pulled up into a tight hugs. “Thank you” Duchess sobbed quietly.

Once she was finally able to disentangle herself from the pregnant woman she turned to Dodger. “You put of this tough face for them, but I’ve seen that mask before, it’s one that I have worn, he needs that most healing, doesn’t he?” her gaze was aimed to a spot just above his shoulder. “I saw the picture in your hut. Something happened to the man in that picture, am I right?” before Dodger could answer she continued “something that makes you feel alone, like you don’t deserve to be truly happy”  she slowly tugged off her gloves with shaking hands as she kneeled in front of him “but you are wrong.”

Anna took hold of Dodgers hand in a tight grip, staring up at him. “Red, what are doing, Red?” Dodger’s voice shook slightly as he tried to get his hand back, but her grip was to strong. “Just, try not to panic, okay?” she whispered as she braced herself against the couch with her free hand and closed her eyes. The hand of the specter whom Anna had been trying to ignore, was placed on her shoulder and she was once again struck by the feeling of the wind being knocked out of her. Her small frame trembled a moment and the air grew frigid as the spirit settled, drawing worried gasps from the others.

“Hey there, Little Bro, I see we haven’t stepped up much” a wheezy voice chuckled from Anna. Dodgers jaw dropped “Fagin” he breathed, tears in his eyes “but, but you died.” Anna founded herself nodding “but it wasn’t your fault, Dodger. We tried everything we could, raised as much money as we could. But the cancer was too much. You heard what Dr. Sykes said, I didn’t have a chance even if we could pay. But that’s in the pasts, and look at all you have done. I might have slipped by, but you have helped so many more. I think you have forced yourself to suffer long enough, you deserve to be happy.” Anna grinned and glanced at Rita “And let me tell you, Dodge, your happiness could be a beautiful thing.” When Anna looked back to Dodger, her eyes were glistening with tears, “you have built yourself quite a nice little family here, you don’t need to hold on to your foolish big brother anymore. It’s time to let go, time to move on. “I love you, brother.”

Anna’s breath came rushing back to her as she wavered where she crouched, toppling over, but before she could hit the ground a pair of arms wrapped tightly around her, holding her up. “Thank you” his voice broke as he cried into her shoulder “Thank you so much, Red.”

“Anna” she croaked out weakly while Dodger and Rita helped her back up onto her shaky legs “My name is Anna.” Dodger smiled at this as he helped her inside his tin hut.

He helped Anna onto the mattress and kneeled next to her, he could see her eyes drooping already and knew that she had exhausted herself. “Did they deserve it?” he asked quietly. When her only response was to look at him in confusion he went on, “You said that you learned to fight in the army, and that you weren’t a defender. So I assumed that you meant—“, “No one deserves what I did to them” she cut him off, curling up tightly. Dodger nodded and ran his fingers through Anna’s bangs. “Well, that’s all behind you now, and if it counts for anything, I believe that you are a good person, Anna. You have a kind heart, and I think my brothers words count for the both of us. You deserve to be happy, and I promise that I will do everything I can to make it so. You have only been here a day and already you have helped us all so much, not let me return the favour.”

A sleepy smile graced her face and she nodded “Thank you, Dodger” she mumbled before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

The following week had been like a dream for Anna. Each day, they would all go out, beg, busk and steal for their next meal, and come back to the warehouse, each with a smile and a tale. They had even built Anna her own little hut in the corner, as she still feared accidental ice. Homeless she may have been, Anna could not remember a time where she had ever been as happy as she was in that warehouse. But as Anna had had ground into her, all good thing come to an end.

A sharp cry of pain ripped Anna from her peaceful sleep, ice shooting up from her mattress. She barely had time to open her eyes before Rita ripped open her tarp door, “Anna, good your awake, hurry up. Come with me”

When she saw the rest of the gang gathered around Duchess, her mind assumed the worst, “Rita, what’s going on?” It was Dodger who answered her, “Duchess is having contraction” his voice was shaky. “We should get her to a hospital” Ernie spoke from his place by her side. “No! No please no, they’ll take her from me! I don’t want to lose her” Duchess’ voice was panicked. “Please, Duchess, we don’t have to tools to deliver a baby.” Francis tried being the voice of reason. After more debating and pained sobs, Rita spoke up, “That is enough. This baby is not being born in a warehouse!” she snapped, taking charge “Tito, the apartment building a few blocks over, I need you to break into it. Once you have the door open, come back her for me and Duchess. Francis, Ernie, I need you two to gather all of the blankets and bedding that you can find and take and take it to the building. Dodger, Anna, you two will gather any of the supplies we will need to deliver this baby. Understood?” she was met with nods “Then why are you all still standing around!? Let’s move people! Go, go, GO!” With that, they split, everyone hurrying off to their assigned tasks.

Dodger and Anna sprinted down the street, stumbling through drift of snow as she raced to the nearest store. “I’m not gunna lie, Anna, I have no plan what so ever” Dodger admitted once they had reached the store. “Don’t worry about it, just leave it to Elsa”

* * *

_Elsa drifted through the door and set to work. She started with the cameras, flitting from one to the other, freezing them over as she went. Her task complete, she rushed back to the door, shattering the sliding glass with a powerful blast of ice._

* * *

Anna managed to pull Dodger away from the shower of glass just in time. She scowled up towards Elsa “I know that we are in a rush, but could you be just a little bit more careful next time?” she grumbled as she and Dodger entered the store. They ran from shelf to shelf, filling their arms with supplies. Diapers, bottles of water and various other items before legging it back into the streets.

“Eh, you two made it in?” Tito asked as he jogged up to them. Anna nodded as she shoved what she had been carrying into the boy’s arms and ran back for more. “How is she holding up?” Dodger asked. Tito’s reply was to walk faster “Her water broke, we need to hurry!”

 

Duchess was laid out on a mattress on the second floor with Rita kneeling beside her, trying to keep her calm. “Shh it’s going to be okay. Look, Duchess, Anna’s back.” In the corner, Ernie and Francis’ worrying grew louder and something in Duchess snapped, “All men out, now!” she ordered.

Anna made to leave as well but Duchess grabbed hold of her hand, “Anna, you stay. I need you” she pleaded. Anna simply stared at her “Me? What for? I don’t know what to do.” Rita shrugged “I’d bet that you know more than either of us. I have faith in you, Anna.” With a gulp, the redhead nodded “Okay, bandages and water.” She began, rattling off the other things thought they would need.

 

Hours passed with only the screaming of Duchess and the panicked voices of Anna and Rita before a shrill cry echoed through the building. With quivering hands, Anna swaddled the tiny babe and handed her off to Duchess. She looked up to Rita, who seemed to be fairing far better than the other two women. “Rita, could you let the guys in?” Anna chuckled “I don’t think I can stand.”

Once the door was open, the four men entered cautiously, crowding around the new mother. “Oh, Duchess, she beautiful” Francis breathed. “What are you going to name her?” Ernie questioned. “Anne Marie, Marie for short” Duchess replied, her eyes locking with Anna’s. Anna’s draw dropped “You’re…. You’re naming her after me?” she stammered out. Duchess smiled and nodded “of course I am. You may not have been with us long, but you have made the biggest impact in our lives. It only seems right to honour you.” Words of agreement echo around as they all crowded together.

“We’ll stay here for a while, least till we can move Marie” Dodger announced “choose a room, and let’s get some rest.”

* * *

“ANNA!” a distant cry echoed once again through the redheads dream. Fire raged around her, but unlike every other night that the dream plagued her, the fire did not vanish when she woke. Smoke filled the halls and rooms as hungry flames ate through the walls. “Fire” Anna scrambled to her feet before shouting “Fire!” she cried, hoping her voice would reach the others in their rooms. As she ripped open her door, the only thing that she could think of, was getting to the others.

She took off down the hall, racing towards the room Duchess and Marie had stayed in. She threw herself against the door, bashing it door in moments. “Come on!” she called to Duchess. They made it as far as the stairs before Anna stopped. She threw out a hand, sending an icy blast down the stairwell, momentary extinguishing the fire. “Go, Duchess!” she commanded. The new mother didn’t have to be told twice, as she fled down the stairs and out the door. As she made to run back down the hall, Dodger caught her. “Anna, what do you think you’re doing? You have to get out of here!” She shook her head “I’m not leaving them in there” she ground out as she pushed past him and Rita “Duchess is already outside, go make sure she’s safe!” she called over her shoulder before running up to the next floor.

“Ernie!” she called “Tito, Francis!” she paused, waiting for a reply. “In here!” Francis’ voice was almost unrecognizable without his phony accent. “We can’t get the door open!” Anna nodded and examined the door “Stand back!” with a swing of her arm, ice lurched up from the floor, slicing through the door before it melted in the heat. Only Francis and Ernie were inside. “Where is Tito?” she demanded “I think he was on the top floor” Ernie replied, coughing from the smoke. “Of course he is” Anna bounced from foot to foot, “Alright, you two get out of here. I’ll get him”, she could hear their protests as she rounded the corner to climb the stairs but ignored them. This was her family now and she would be damned if she lost any of them.

Tito had made it to the hallway, but between him and freedom, was a chasm the fell down to the flaming ruin of the floor below. “Tito! Listen, I need you to trust me!” she shouted over the roar of the fire. “Jump across and I’ll catch you!” she promised, but he only shoot his head “I can’t! I won’t make it!”

Taking a few steps back, Anna took a running leap, stumbling as she landed next to him. “See? It’s not that far. You can make it.” But he was too scared. He stood frozen in place, trembling like a Chihuahua. With a grunt, Anna lifted the smaller boy by the back of his shirt and belt, tossing him across the chasm. As he scrambled to his feet, more of the floor fell away behind him, leaving Anna stranded on the other side. “Anna!” he cried. She shook her head, “Don’t worry about me! Just get out of here!”

Once he was gone, Anna’s shoulders slumped as she looked around. “Elsa, could you find an easy way out?” she asked hopefully. A frown formed across her face as she looked down the chasm. “Well it was worth a shot” her voice shook. “You think the ice will be strong enough? Well if you say so.” She took a deep breath and jumped down. Ice wrapped around her, rapidly forming and melting as she crashed through the weakened third floor and into the second.

Pain shot up her legs when she forced herself to stand. She could barely she through the smoke, and any attempt to summon ice to defend herself was met with nothing. Blindly she stumbled through the maze of flames and embers, fire searing through her coat and burning her skin. She didn’t know how, but she managed to make it down the stared and felt hope blooming in her chest. She was almost free, she was sure of it.

The crack of wood above her came as a warning to late, as a burning beam of wood crashed down on top of her, bashing into her head and pinning her down. As her mind grew foggy, she was sure that she could hear someone calling her in the distance.

* * *

When Tito came stumbling out alone, Dodger rushed to him, grabbing his shoulders tightly “Were is Anna?” he demanded, shaking the boy. “I-I don’t know. She m-must still be inside.” He stammered out. Before he could think better of it, Dodge started hurrying towards the inferno, “ANNA!” he cried.

“Dodger!” Rita grabbed his forearm “Don’t go back in there! We can’t lose you to!”

He pulled his arm free “We don’t know that she is lost yet. I can’t let her just die, Rita. Not after everything she has done for us.” When she made no further protest, ran back through the door and in to the flames.

Dodger didn’t have to go in to far before he found her trapped beneath a smoldering beam of wood. It took all of his strength to push the beam off of her, but once she was free he wasted no time in scooping her up into his arms and hurrying back out before he was also trapped. Anna looked so small, and frail as he lay her out in the snow. She wasn’t breathing. “HELP!” he called over and over. It wasn’t long before the first responders arrived and Anna was being loaded into the back of an ambulance, whisked away to first for her life.

* * *

_A comatose Anna lay near lifeless in a small hospital room. Elsa circled her constantly, keeping close watch over her host. It was all she could do, keep her safe and watch as visitors came and went. Time meant nothing to her, and the only sign that it was passing at all, was the changes in the visitors._

_Duchess visited a few times, bringing Anne Marie to see her namesake, sometimes alone._

_The one who frequented the quiet little room the most, was Dodger, often with Rita. If Elsa hadn’t been fond of them before, then she certainly grew to be._

_Dodger taped a clipping from a newspaper to the wall. “_ They caught them _” he spoke hoarsely, smoke still sticking in his lungs “_ The bastards who did this. Same damn thugs from your first night with us. Never would have thought they would go that far _.” He sat in silence for a long while, simply holding Anna’s cold hand. “_ I never got to thank you for saving us. So, Thank you _” he leaned back and looked up “_ both of you _.”_

 _Rita and Dodger had cleaned up nice, new clothes and shoes that fir right. “_ We managed to get jobs _” Rita said as she tucked fresh flowers into the vase on the bedside table. “_ And we even got a small apartment. We’re all still together, and Tito and Ernie are both clean. You’d be proud of them _.” Dodger chuckled “_ Even Francis has managed to toss his Ego aside long enough to act again _.”_

 _“_ I finally did it _” Dodge took hold of Anna’s hand. He wore a nice jacket and slacks. “_ I proposed to Rita _.” He smiled sadly as he looked at his Fiancée. “_ I never would have had the strength without you, Anna. So, we’ll wait for you. We won’t have the wedding until you wake up. We want you to be there, it wouldn’t be right if you weren’t. So we’ll wait. We’ll wait as long as it takes _.” A weak snowfall began to fall over the couple and they laughed lightly. “_ Of course you’re invited al well, Elsa _” Rita smiled “_ Anna wouldn’t be the same without you. You make sure to keep her safe for us. _”_

* * *

Darkness swirled around Anna. She felt trapped as her life ticked backwards before her eyes. This had to be it. Her life was flashing before her and she was dying, she was sure of it.

The memories slowed until she found herself in a brightly lit room. A baby with bright ginger hair was crying in the arms of a doctor. “Congratulations, Idunn. It’s a girl” he said as he made to leave the room. “I changed my mind” the brunette woman, Idunn, sobbed “I changed my mind! Bring back my daughter! Bring back my Anna!” she cried. Power surged through the room and equipment began going haywire. “Sedate her! Get her under control!” Idunn continued to cry for her baby until consciousness left her.

The memory faded and Anna was once again left in the darkness of her mind. Cold gripped her and tugged at her, pulling her slowly out of the darkness and into the light of the room.

When her eyes opened, the light, even dimmed was blinding. “How long?” her voice was hoarse. She felt Elsa drift away to find out as she stood slowly on trembling legs. “Three months” she breathed out when Elsa returned. She made her run her fingers through her hair, only to find her head shaved and a deep groove on the back of her head where the beam had hit her.

She looked around the room for a moment before her teal eyes fell on a dingy looking locket. Inside was a small picture of Dodger, Rita, Francis, Ernie, Tito, Duchess and Marie all crammed into the frame with bright smiles. Engraved on the other side was one word, family. Anna let out a small sob as she put it on, tucking it under her hospital gown.

“Anna Summers, Bright red hair, freckles. We know she’s here.” Hearing her name, Anna poked her head out the door. There were two men in suits at the nurse’s station. Even from her spot she could see the CIA badges they were flashing and her heart stopped. They had found her. Panicked, Anna smashed the window in her room and escaped through it.

* * *

“Pumba, you see that?” the tiny officer in the passenger seat off the cruiser pointed ahead of them. Stumbling along the road in the rain was a woman with a shaved head and ill-fitting clothes. The fat officer, Pumba, nodded “Yeah, I see her, Tim.”, “We can’t just leave her out here” Tim mused “Pull over.”

They stopped the car just behind the woman, both of them getting out and popping open their umbrellas. “Miss, excuse me, miss!” Tim called over the pounding of rain. Slowly, she turned to them “You need any help?” Pumba asked. When she didn’t reply Tim spoke again “we were just heading back to the station, would you like a lift?” when she nodded slowly, both officer smiled, happy to be able to help a stranger.


	21. Broken

It took some effort, but the two officers finally managed to get the dazed woman into the office at the back of the station. After they had parked, the smaller officer, who had introduced himself as Sheriff T. Mon, had opened the rear door. The woman staggered as she got out and nearly, both officers moving to help her but stopping just short, remembering the panicked state the woman had entered when they had tried to touch her arms. Pumba held out his arm, smiling warmly, “Might I help you?” The woman nodded shyly and gripped his sleeve as the three entered the station.

They had gotten her settled in the comfiest chair they could find and wrapped an itchy wool blanket around her in an attempt to warm her icy skin. “There, all toasty now?” T. Mon, Pumba had called him Tim, asked her. When she didn’t respond he sighed “We’re going to ask you a few questions, try and get an idea of what happened. Okay? Was there an accident?”

The redhead looked down. Images of a fight on a train flashed through her mind.

“Did someone try to hurt you?” Pumba questioned next.

Her grip on the blanket tightened. A chase through a forest, the howling of angry dog. She shuddered.

Pumba frowned as he watched her. “How about any family or friends. Anyone how could tell us who you are?”

She calmed down a moment, her mind filled with the faces of her family in the warehouse. So far away now. How far had she run? Where was she now?

Tim moved behind the woman and his russet brows furrowed. Carving a path across the back of her head through what little hair had grown back, was a jagged scar. “Is that a scar?” he asked as he leaned closer, “who did this to you?” he reached out a hand to gentle touch the scar.

The redhead flinched and ice shot across the desk, freezing it solid. The two officer jumped back, startled, yet they stayed. They exchanged a glance and Pumba nodded. “How about a nice hot drink? Would you like any coco? I can promise you that Tim here makes the best coco you will ever have.” When she managed a crooked smile and a nod the two officers left the room to fetch the promised chocolate beverage.

* * *

A towncar raced its way down the highway, weaving in and out of the sparse traffic. Inside, Dr. Oaken furiously argued over his phone. “You must stop them!” he snapped “They have no idea what they are dealing with! None of us do! She dropped off the planet, who knows how you could have changed.” His voice softened slightly before he continued “You have to tell them to wait for me to get there.”

“It’s too late, Oaken. They are already on the move” came the voice over the phone.

“Then call them back!” Oaken cried “They have to be stopped!” with that he hung up. “Fools, fools each one of them,” he grumbled, looking out the window. “Anna, please don’t do anything rash.”

* * *

A small twinkling sound came from above the woman in the office and she sighed. “I know, Elsa.” She let the blanket fall as she stood, icy wind began to whip up around her. “They finally caught up to us.” Her eyes began to glow with an eerie blue light, “I’ve been out for three months, guess it’s time to get some exercise.”

* * *

The doors to the station burst inwards as a SWAT team flooded into the small station. Coco spilled across the floor as T. Mon and Pumba held their hands up in the air. The team seemed to split aside as Rainoult stormed towards the two small town cops. “Where is the girl?” he ground out.

Pumba motioned towards the door behind him and Rainoult nodded. A few swift hand signals and his team took up position on either side of the door. “Open it” he hissed at T. Mon.

Tim’s slow steps took him to the door and, reluctantly, he pulled it up.

* * *

When Oaken arrived at the scene, the station was gone and in its place was an explosion of ice they looked to have started in the building centre. Blood and body part lay about the scene. Sitting outside, leaning against the only cruiser left, were two men, each holding a small crystal snowflake. They looked shaken but other than that fine.

“What happened here?” Oaken asked.

“A snow monster” Pumba mumbled.

Oaken narrowed his eyes “What do you mean?”

Tim shrugged “We left her in the office and when I opened the door she was gone, and in her place was this massive creature of snow and ice. She tore those men to pieces.” He held up the snowflake in his hand “Gave us these…. Mouth thank you and then left, like a winter storm.”

Oaken looked down the road. A trail of massive circular footsteps lead away from the carnage, growing smaller and smaller before vanishing.


	22. Alaska Part 1

The trees of the forest grew high all around her, their tops so thick and so closely grown that they blocked out most of the sun. What little light that did manage to make it through the leaves, filtered down to the forest floor creating stops of speckled light, warming the air, the giving Anna just enough natural light to see where she was going. She found it rather peaceful, and oddly quiet. It was soothing to her ever wary mind, or at least it would have been soothing, if it weren’t for Elsa.

“Yes, Elsa,” she snapped, dragging her fingers through her shaggy hair, “I am well aware of the fact that we are lost.” Anna stopped walking and kicked a rock into a bush. “We are utterly, hopelessly lost. I have no idea where we even are anymore, what direction we’re going, nothing,” she rubbed her growling stomach, “and to top it all off I’m fucking starving. And might I remind you, your iciness, it was your stupid idea to leave the main road and try to cut through this god damned forest!”

The snapping of a stick drew her attention. Anna spun around only to be met with angry faces and pointed weapons. Two men in what looked to be hunting furs with dark deeply tanned skin and almond eyes of deep brown. The shorter of the two held a carbon fiber spear, leveled at her chest while his companion had an arrow drawn taught in a compact bow.

“What are you doing on our land?” the shorter one ground out.

Anna blinked at the display and raised her hands in mock surrender. “I was simply trying to find the road. I just got a little lost,” she placed a finger on the point of the spear and moved it away, “but I am sure I can manage, just let me go and I’ll be on my way.”

“Liar,” the shorter one snapped, his thick black hair bouncing as he jumped back to raise the spear again, “you’re here to poach off our land! Take what little we still have,” he growled.

The taller one had long since lowered his bow and placed a hand on his companions arm, “Kenai, I think you are being a little to rash. Look at her, how could she be a poacher?” he waved a hand at her, “she doesn’t even have a weapon.”

“He has a point there,” Anna added hesitantly, growing weary of the spear still leveled at her.

“She could easily have hidden them, Denahi! Don’t be so dense!”

“Hidden them— do you even hear yourself, little bro!?“

That seemed to be the last straw. The spear was through to the ground and the younger of the two tackled the other to the ground. Their tussle was brief and soon the elder had his brother pinned to the forest floor and, much to Anna’s utter disgust, was dangling a loogie over his brother’s face.

Anna took slow steady steps backwards to try and get away, but was stopped by a rough hand on her shoulder. Slowly she looked up to feet eyes with yet another man, at least a full foot taller than her. He had the same eyes and facial shape as the others and long hair pulled back into a ponytail and the making a thin beard stretched grew on either side of his chin, stretched further apart by his gentle smile. “Excuse me, ma’am, I need to deal with my idiot brothers,” he chuckled as he passed her.

He pulled them apart and wrapped his arms around them, holding them both in tight headlocks and knocking their heads together to stop their struggling. “You to knuckleheads scared off all the game,” he held them tighter, shaking them, “Not to mention scaring the life out of this nice lady here.”

The middle brother, Denahi, managed to struggle free and brushed the dirt from his furs. “She says she got lost out here,” he explained, shooting a glare at his younger brother, “Kenai and I were just going to show her back to the road.”

“Nonsense,” the eldest began, letting Kenai go, “It’s getting dark out. She can stay with us for the night.”

The two younger brother’s stared open mouthed, “Sitka, you can’t be serious.”

“Dead serious. You two can carry what little game I managed to get back home, I’ll escort her home,” Sitka smiled and gestured for Anna to follow him.

The path they walked was worn was years of heavy foot traffic. Slowly, the path began to lighten as they left the forest and came to a vast valley. A small farm house and a little barn was all that remained from what looked like what had once been a nice little community. The valley was bordered on one side by the forest and a wide mountain on another. It looked quaint. Sitka clapped Anna on the shoulder and grinned down at her wide-eyed stare. “Welcome, to the valley of the north mountains shadow.”

Anna sat down at the large dinner table while an elderly woman scooped a heavenly smelling stew into large bowls and set them at each place setting.

Once they were all seated, Sitka cleared his throat, “I am sorry for how my brothers treated you, they often get a little over protective and forget who their chief is. You are a guest in our home and introductions are customary. My name is Sitka, you.ve met my brothers, Denahi and Kenai.” Denahi had the shortest hair of the three, with a small braid with a golden bead dangling beside his temple, while Kenai’s hair was longer and had a certain poof to it. “And this is Tanana,” he nodded to the silent old woman at the head of the table, nibbling away at her stew, “a sha-woman, she was the only one to stay behind with us when the rest of the folk up and left. She’s like our grandmother and she was loath to leave our ancestral home,” he chuckled, “she beat us all halfway to the mountain with her shoe when we tried to get her to leave.” All three brothers laughed loudly at that and Anna had no doubt that it was true, with just a glance she could see a fierceness in the old woman’s eyes.

“It’s nice to meet you all, my name is Anna,” she found herself smiling at their hospitality.

They were silent as they ate for a long time before Sitka spoke again, “so, Anna, why were you wandering around the forest alone?”

Anna pushed a carrot slice around in her bowl, thinking on her reply. “I didn’t want to walk along the main road any longer. It was taking far too long. I had hoped that cutting through the forest would give me a shortcut to the next town, so I can restock, but I lost my way so,” she scooped up the carrot with a dry laugh, “I guess I was wrong.”

As they finish, the dogs that had been thus far quiet, began to growl and whimper as they slinked away from the door which was shaking from a sudden wind. Sitka shared a worried look with Tanana before he began to hurriedly clear off the table. Anna looked around in confusion as the brothers went about locking the windows and covering them with wooden shutters. She stood and made her way over to Sitka. “Sitka, what’s going on?”

He glanced at her and shook his head, “it’s time for bed” he said simply and nodded to Denahi, “Denahi will show you to your room.”

Her room was just down the hall from the kitchen on its own, the other rooms were on the second floor. The room was rather bare, a double bed, a chair and a small dresser being the only furniture in the room. Simple wood plank walls and floors gave the room a rather rustic feel, that and the colourful woven blanket on the bed. “So this is where you’ll stay,“ Denahi explained, “You would be wise to stay here. Sleep well, Anna.”

Anna blinked in confusion as the door snapped shut. She changed into a baggy t-shirt and shorts from her backpack and clicked out the lamp as she climbed into the bed. She rolled over, trying to get comfortable. All around her she could feel Elsa’s discomfort. She sighed heavily, pulling the blanket up to her chin. “I know, Elsa. They make me nervous too. We’ll be gone soon though, best for all of them,” she said with a yawn.

* * *

The world twisted and churned in a rainbow of colour. A skeletal forked tree rose high above her as chanting echoed all around. She saw their faces, the three brothers and Tanana changing into those of animal. Fox, eagle, wolf and bear, all towered above Anna, growling and barking and shrieking the chant ever louder. Lights flashed through the sky and as the chanting grew to a roaring crescendo and—

Anna awoke with a silent scream as she sat up, clutching at her chest in a desperate attempt to calm her pounding heart. A cold sweat rolled down her back, turning to ice as it went. Her breath came in heaving gasps as she looked about the roll, recoiling at the sight of the ice. It had been months since she had lost control like that, her choice of solitude doing wonders for her control. She clenched her hand and let out a sigh of relief when the ice began to recede.

She needed air. That one pounding need drove her to her feet and sent her stumbling to the door of her room, she barely registered the intense rattling of the windows the wind was causing. Using the wall to keep herself steady, Anna made her way to the kitchen. Sitka was already there. He looked up at her when she entered and shook his head, his long hair cascading around his shoulders. “You should not have left you room, Anna. Go back to bed and forget this,” he insisted.

The younger woman simply ignored him, waving away his warning, as she made her way to the front door. She felt strangely drawn to it. It took all of her strength just to open the door. Outside, shadowy mist swirled around the farm house, propelled by the roaring wind, and standing in front of the door was a man, or at least he had once been a man. A spirit. He was dressed in heavy furs with a hood adorned with antlers and held a spear of bone. The spirits body shimmered with all of the colours of the lights that danced in the sky. The spirit tilted his head, regarding Anna, before raising the spear and gently tapping the tip to Anna’s forehead.

Distantly, Anna registered Sitka calling her as she swayed on her feet before falling backwards.

* * *

When Anna next awoke, she found herself curled up on a bench with a thick fur tucked around her and one of the dogs lapping at her face. She pushed the mutt away with a laugh and sat up.

“It’s good to see that you’re awake,” Sitka spoke from the stove, dressed in jeans and a plain shirt, “You were out most of the day and I was starting to get worried. I had to kick Kenai out of here to do his work, he was fussing over you so much,” he laughed before making his way to Anna with two steaming mugs in his hands, “I made coffee.”

They drank in silence, Anna shifting uncomfortably. Finally she set aside her mug and stood up. “I’m sorry if I caused you any trouble last night,” she began making her way back to her room, “I’ll just pack my things and get out of your hair,” Anna called over her shoulder.

When she returned packed and dressed to leave, Sitka was leaning near the front door with a rather smug look on his face. “It’s strange,” he began.

“What’s strange?”

“You’ve only been here one night, and already Tanana has warmed up to you. She was telling me this morning that she was rather fond of you.”

Anna furrowed her brow in confusion, “Okay, so what?”

“I was thinking of offering you a job here in the valley,” he shrugged.

Anna blinked at that, “Wait, what?”

Sitka looked down at her, “it’s just, even with the three of us working, and this little farm can be quite the handful. Just helping with the fishing and tending to the animals could be a big help,” he scratched his chin, “now I can’t pay you much in money, but I can offer you hot food, and a place to lay your head and our company.” When Anna took a nervous step back and looked down, Sitka leaned down to look into her eyes, “No one should be alone, Anna. So what do you say? Deal?”

She regarded him coolly as she thought, a small smile gracing her lips as she nodded. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

“Good, now you’re going to need some work cloths. You can borrow some from Kenai for now, least until I can get you some of your own.” He clapped his hands and shooed her away, “Well go on, get a move on. You don’t want me thinking you a lazy worker now do you?”

At that, Anna scurried off, a fierce determination building in the pit of her stomach to prove herself to these men of the land.

The sun was already high in the sky when Anna finally made it outside in a loose pair of Kenai’s jeans and a tank top with the silhouette of a Kodiak bear on it. She made her way over to the barn where Denahi was in the process of shearing a sheep. “What do you need me to do, Denahi?” she called over the incessant bahing.

Denahi looked up and chuckled, “well, look who finally decided to wake up, eh sleeping beauty?” he laughed, nodded to the buckets next to Anna, “the sheep need water, think you can manage?”

Anna glared at him lightly, picking up the buckets as she left and hurrying over to the water pump. It was hard going and took some time, but she managed to get the water flowing and filled the bucket, emptying them in the empty trough. “What now?” she panted.

“Would you mind grabbing some hay from the storehouse?” Sitka asked as he entered the barn.

She nodded and took off across the yard. The hay was stacked tightly on the second level of the storehouse. She bit her lip as she looked up at it. Strong as she was, she doubted her ability to get a stack down without falling on her. Anna sighed and glanced to her right. “Elsa? Would you mind?” A strong wind whipped up inside of the storehouse and slowly but surely knocked free a bale. With a grin, Anna hoisted the bale up onto her shoulder and trekked back to the barn, dropping it in front of Sitka proudly. “There, one bale of hay.”

“Great job so far, Anna,” he praised her before pointed over to the tree in front of the house where Denahi and Kenai were sitting with Tanana, “Why don’t you go get some lunch while I finish up in here?”

Anna didn’t have to be told about food twice as she hurried over to join them. Lunch leftover stew from the night before and Anna found it to be as good as then. While she eat, she asked the brothers about the farm. “So, what do you two do around here?”

Denahi answered after wiping his mouth on the back of his hand. “I mostly take care of our few work horses and Kenai helps me with the sheep,” he sneered and ruffed Kenai’s hair, ignoring his protests, “but mostly my little brother here just goofs off!”

“Hey! I do more than just goof off,” Kenai tried to defend himself, “I do most of our fishing,” he proclaimed proudly.

Denahi leaned closer to Anna and whispered, “when is isn’t too busy messing around,” he ducked just in time to dodge the small chunk of potato his brother had flung at him. “Sitka does just about everything else around here. He does his best to keep us in line, show us the way and all that,” he stirred his stew about in thought, “he would have been a great chief if the others had stayed.”

“That’s actually something that’s been bothering me,” Anna level her gaze on Denahi. “When we were leaving the forest yesterday, I saw all the foundations, this place must have been a booming town. What happened?”

“They all got scared off by—“ Kenai began but Denahi cut him off.

“They all moved to the city,” his cheerful demeanor melted away as he stood up “not all people are suited for life of the land. I have to tend to our horses,” he excused himself, hurrying away towards the stables.

Deflated, Anna turned to Kenai, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset him.”

Kenai shrugged, “don’t worry about him, he is just a little sore about it, that’s all.” He got up and left as well, “I should get back to work to before Sitka gets angry.”

Once they were gone, Anna turned her attention to Tanana. She crouched down in front of her. “Um, hi. My name is Anna… but you probably know that I mean, why wouldn’t you? You were at the table last night when I introduced myself and everything and I don’t mean to imply that you can’t hear of remember or—“ a warm hand took hold of hers and she looked up to see Tanana smiling at her. “Thank you, I know I ramble. I can’t help it sometimes. Thank you, Sitka told me earlier and I have to say that, I’m rather fond of you to, Tanana,” they shared a smile before Anna got up, “I had better get back to work, lest Sitka kick me out,” she laughed, hurrying off.

She wandered over to the stable where Denahi was cursing angrily while Kenai laughed. “What’s going on?” she asked a soaked Denahi as he climbed out of a water trough.

“Damn stubborn horse,” he grumbled “we just bought him from a rancher and the damn thing never wants to go back inside.”

“Could I try?” Anna asked, her eyes wide with wonder as she watched the chestnut horse trot proudly around the corral.

Kenai snorted, “You ever dealt with a horse before, Anna?”

She shook her head, “No, but I doubt that I could do any worse than the two of you, and besides, I’m usually great with animals” she said, not waiting for their approval as she hopped over the fence.

“His name is Sitron,” she heard Denahi say as she made her way towards the horse, who had stopped his trotting and was watching her sceptically.

More than once, she felt Elsa flare up protectively when Sitron would snort, but Anna made her stay back, she was determined to do this on her own. Step by slow step, Anna inched her way ever closer until finally her hand bumped against his nose. The horse seemed confused as he sniffed at Anna’s cold hand. She giggled at the ticklish sensation as she rubbed his snout. “You’re really just a big softy aren’t you?” she smiled as she took up his lead, “you don’t have to put on a show for them, they brought you here because you’re a big strong stallion,” as she spoke, she slowly lead Sitron into the stable and closed the gate, much to all of their surprises.

“Good work there, Anna” Sitka called to her, “we’ll make a fine farmhand of you yet.” When she approached he wrinkled his nose in mock disgust, “wow you reek of horse,” he jeered, pointing his thumb over his shoulder, “work showers just behind the storehouse. Tanana hates us clogging up the good one with muck, but ladies first, oh great horse whisperer.”

Anna was sure that she had never blushed as hard as she did when the three brothers broke out laughing. She thanked him and hurried off.

The shower was little more than an open ring of tin siding with a raised, slated wood floor and a light wooden door with a latch. The roof was a tin cone with a shower head and a pull ring to start the water. After stripping down and placing her cloths out of the splash zone, Anna pulled the ring and sighed at the feeling of the chilly water rinsing all of the dirt and grime of travel from her body. She turned to wash out her hair, only to come face to face with the spirit from the night before. Startles, Anna staggered back, slipping and falling. When she opened her eyes, the spirit was gone and written on the tin wall was one word, ‘Axiom’.

* * *

“And so the waiter says to the bear, ‘what’s with the big pause?’” Kenai looked about the table, “then the bear replies, ‘I don’t know… but my father had them too!’” The three brothers and Anna burst out laughing. They were just finishing a hardy dinner of roast deer and fresh vegetables and were enjoying good conversation.

The joyous mood was broken when the wind began to howl. Sitka frowned as his brothers began to board up the house for the night, “time for bed.”

Anna went to her room and waited quietly as the brothers settled in for the night. She stood by her door waiting, and waiting until she was sure that no one would be awake to stop her. After steeling herself, Anna crept from her room and into the kitchen and out the front door. The sky was clear and all of peaceful with the exception of the wind tugging at her cloths. High above the North Mountain, the northern lights danced in the sky.

She held an arm up to defend her face from the dirt and leaves that were blown wildly about by the wind. She squinted as she walked, stopping when she noticed another figure making their way through across the field and towards the mountain. “Tanana?” she called over the wind. The old woman turned and grinned mischievously before hurrying off back on her way towards the mountain as a thick fog began to roll in around the house. “Tanana, wait!” but the woman was gone.

Anna was about to chase after Tanana when a mighty roar ripped through the air. Her fear chilled the air as she turned to see a giant shadowy bear, black as death and its form still as stormy water, loomed up out of the fog. She staggered back in fright as spirit of shimmering light rose up, swinging torches and spears at the ugly beast. The bear was unpassed but the spirits and barreled through them, charging headlong at the tiny redhead.

With a cry of fright, Anna was off, running blindly through the fog in a desperate attempt to get away. The bear was hot on her heels, swiping at her with claws the length of swords. Her breath came to her in short gasps as she stumbled through the field, tripping on stray rock and dips in the ground.

The bear lunged, knocking the fleeing woman to the ground. It was just about to strike its killing blow, when a bubble of ice shot up around its target. Enraged, the bear redoubled its efforts, slashing wildly at the bubble causing it to crack and fracture and then shatter.

Just when Anna thought she was done, the spirit warriors appeared around her in a tight circle, pressing the fog back with their torches. The bear reared back into the fog, red eyes glaring down at Anna as the fog dissipated. As the fog vanished, so too did the warriors, leaving Anna alone in the chilly air.

“Anna!” Kenai’s voice drew her attention to the brothers running towards her, helping her back to her feet.

She glared at them each in turn. “What the fuck was that?” she ground out slowly, her voice shaking. When they didn’t answer, she zeroed her attention on Sitka. “You have to tell me. That thing almost killed me, Sitka.”

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The settlers called it, Mor’du, the Black Giant.”

“All that damn bear wishes for is blood and death.” Kenai snarled.

Sitka gave him a look that silenced his youngest brother’s anger. “It has tormented my people for generations,” he saw the look of fierce determination in Anna’s eyes and shook his head. “Anna, just, don’t. There is nothing you or anyone can do. You cannot fight a spirit.”

“If that beast is here, than there has to be a reason for it,” Anna’s eyes narrowed, “if this, Mor’du, is here, than it is here for a reason.”


End file.
